Direction (Q. Nos. 21-24) This section contains 4 questions. When work...
Two lone pairs on oxygen and three lone pairs on each chlorine.
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Direction (Q. Nos. 21-24) This section contains 4 questions. When work...
Explanation:
Introduction:
In order to determine the total number of lone pairs in a Cl2O molecule, we need to understand the structure and bonding of the molecule.
Structure of Cl2O:
Cl2O, or dichlorine monoxide, is a chemical compound composed of two chlorine atoms and one oxygen atom. The molecule has a bent shape due to the presence of two lone pairs on the central oxygen atom.
Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory:
The VSEPR theory states that electron pairs around a central atom will arrange themselves in a way that minimizes repulsion between them. This theory helps in predicting the shape of molecules based on the number of bonding and lone pairs of electrons around the central atom.
Bonding and lone pairs in Cl2O:
In Cl2O, each chlorine atom contributes one valence electron, while oxygen contributes six valence electrons. The total number of valence electrons in the molecule is therefore 2(7) + 6 = 20.
The oxygen atom is surrounded by two lone pairs and two bonding pairs. The two chlorine atoms are bonded to the oxygen atom through single bonds. The Lewis structure of Cl2O can be represented as follows:
Cl Cl
\ /
O
Determining the number of lone pairs:
To determine the number of lone pairs in Cl2O, we need to subtract the number of bonding pairs from the total number of electron pairs around the central atom.
In this case, the oxygen atom has two lone pairs and two bonding pairs. Therefore, the total number of electron pairs around the oxygen atom is 2 + 2 = 4.
Since the oxygen atom is the only central atom in the molecule, the total number of lone pairs in Cl2O is equal to the number of lone pairs on the oxygen atom, which is 2.
Conclusion:
Therefore, the total number of lone pairs in a Cl2O molecule is 2.