Indicate the hybridization of the central atom in d. GeH4.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the central atom in the molecule GeH4, which is germanium (Ge).
2. Determine the number of valence electrons for germanium (Ge). Germanium is in group 14, so it has 4 valence electrons.
3. Count the number of atoms bonded to the central atom. In GeH4, there are 4 hydrogen atoms bonded to germanium.
4. Add the number of bonded atoms (4) to the number of lone pairs on the central atom. Since GeH4 is a neutral molecule with no lone pairs on Ge, the total is 4.
5. Use the steric number to determine hybridization. A steric number of 4 corresponds to sp3 hybridization, indicating that the central atom is sp3 hybridized.

Key Concepts

Hybridization

Hybridization is a concept in chemistry that describes the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals. These hybrid orbitals are used to explain the geometry of molecular bonding. The type of hybridization depends on the number of electron pairs around the central atom, influencing the shape and bond angles of the molecule.

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory

VSEPR theory is a model used to predict the geometry of individual molecules based on the repulsion between electron pairs in the valence shell of the central atom. According to this theory, electron pairs will arrange themselves as far apart as possible to minimize repulsion, which helps determine the molecular shape and the hybridization of the central atom.

GeH4 Molecular Structure

GeH4, or germane, is a molecule where germanium (Ge) is the central atom bonded to four hydrogen (H) atoms. The molecular structure is tetrahedral, which indicates that the central germanium atom undergoes sp3 hybridization. This hybridization results from the mixing of one s orbital and three p orbitals to accommodate the four bonding pairs of electrons.