Be can show coordination number four while other members show a value of six. This is because of:a)Small size of Beb)Availability of d orbitals in Bec)Non availability of d orbitals in Bed)High ionization enthalpy of BeCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Question

Answer

The electronic configuration of Be is 1s²2s². We can see that there are only 4 orbitals in its valence shell( they are s and p). In other words, d orbital is absent. So, Be shows ccoordination no 4 and not 6 as like other members of its group.

Answer

Beryllium does not exhibit coordination number more than four as it has four orbitals in the valance shell. The other members of this group has coordination number six.

Answer

Coordination number of Be

The coordination number refers to the number of atoms, ions, or molecules that surround an atom or ion in a crystal lattice. It indicates the number of nearest neighbors that a particular atom has in a solid. In the case of beryllium (Be), it is known to exhibit a coordination number of four, while other members of its group in the periodic table show a coordination number of six.

Reasons for coordination number difference

There are several reasons why beryllium has a coordination number of four while other members exhibit a coordination number of six:

1. Small size of Be:
Beryllium has a smaller atomic radius compared to other elements in its group. The smaller size of Be atoms makes it energetically unfavorable for six atoms to be in close proximity to it. Due to the smaller atomic size, Be can accommodate only four neighboring atoms comfortably.

2. Non-availability of d orbitals in Be:
Beryllium belongs to the s-block elements, and its electronic configuration is 1s²2s². It does not have any d orbitals in its valence shell. The coordination number is often influenced by the availability of d orbitals for bonding. Since Be does not possess any d orbitals, it cannot participate in coordination with more than four atoms.

3. High ionization enthalpy of Be:
Beryllium has a relatively high ionization enthalpy, meaning it requires a significant amount of energy to remove an electron from a Be atom. This high ionization enthalpy makes it less likely for beryllium to form additional bonds and increase its coordination number beyond four.

Conclusion

In conclusion, beryllium exhibits a coordination number of four due to its small size, non-availability of d orbitals, and high ionization enthalpy. These factors make it energetically unfavorable for Be to have a coordination number of six like other members of its group.

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