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Ch.11 - Chemical Bonding II: Molecular Shapes, VSEPR & MO Theory
Chapter 11, Problem 53b

The valence electron configurations of several atoms are shown here. How many bonds can each atom make without hybridization? b. B 2s2sp1

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Key Concepts

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

Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and are crucial in determining how an atom can bond with others. The number of valence electrons influences the atom's ability to form bonds, as these electrons are involved in chemical reactions and bond formation.
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Bonding Capacity

Bonding capacity refers to the maximum number of bonds an atom can form based on its valence electron configuration. For example, an atom with three valence electrons, like boron (B), can typically form three bonds by sharing its valence electrons with other atoms.
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Hybridization

Hybridization is the process of mixing atomic orbitals to create new hybrid orbitals that can form bonds. In the context of the question, understanding that the atom can form bonds without hybridization means considering only the available unhybridized orbitals for bonding, which affects the number of bonds that can be formed.
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