What is the hybridization of the central atom in d. TeCl2?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the central atom in the molecule, which is tellurium (Te) in TeCl2.
2. Determine the number of valence electrons for the central atom, Te. Tellurium is in group 16, so it has 6 valence electrons.
3. Count the number of atoms bonded to the central atom. In TeCl2, there are 2 chlorine atoms bonded to Te.
4. Calculate the number of lone pairs on the central atom. Te has 6 valence electrons, and 2 are used for bonding with Cl atoms, leaving 4 electrons or 2 lone pairs.
5. Use the steric number (number of bonded atoms + number of lone pairs) to determine hybridization. A steric number of 4 corresponds to sp^3 hybridization.

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 and bonding properties of molecules. The type of hybridization depends on the number of electron pairs around the central atom, which can include both bonding and lone pairs.

Molecular Geometry

Molecular geometry refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule. It is determined by the number of bonding pairs and lone pairs of electrons around the central atom, which influences the shape of the molecule. Understanding molecular geometry is essential for predicting the physical and chemical properties of compounds.

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 hybridization and shape of the molecule.