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Ch.8 - Covalent Compounds: Bonding Theories and Molecular Structure
Chapter 8, Problem 106d

At high temperatures, sulfur vapor is predominantly in the form of S2(g) molecules. (d) When two electrons are added to S2, the disulfide ion S22- is formed. Is the bond length in S22- likely to be shorter or longer than the bond length in S2? Explain.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Bond Length

Bond length is the average distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms. It is influenced by the type of bond (single, double, or triple) and the number of electrons shared between the atoms. Generally, as the number of shared electrons increases, the bond length decreases due to stronger attractive forces between the nuclei and the shared electrons.
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Ionic vs. Covalent Bonds

Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between atoms, while ionic bonds result from the transfer of electrons, leading to the formation of charged ions. In the case of the disulfide ion S2²-, the addition of two electrons alters the electron density and can affect the bond characteristics, including bond length, compared to the neutral S2 molecule.
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Electron Repulsion

Electron repulsion occurs when negatively charged electrons repel each other, influencing molecular geometry and bond lengths. In the S2²- ion, the added electrons increase electron-electron repulsion, which can lead to a longer bond length compared to the neutral S2 molecule, as the increased repulsion pushes the bonded atoms further apart.
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