The Structure of Sulphur Dioxide Molecule (SO2) - Explained

Introduction
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a chemical compound composed of one sulfur atom and two oxygen atoms. It is a colorless gas with a pungent odor and is commonly found in industrial processes and as a byproduct of burning fossil fuels.

Bent Structure
The structure of sulphur dioxide molecule is best described as "bent" or "V-shaped" due to the presence of two lone pairs of electrons on the central sulfur atom. This structure is a result of the repulsion between the electron pairs, which causes the atoms to arrange themselves in a manner that minimizes the repulsive forces.

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory
The Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory is used to predict the molecular geometry of a molecule based on the repulsion between electron pairs. According to this theory, the electron pairs around the central atom will arrange themselves in a way that minimizes repulsion and maximizes the distance between them.

Analysis of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)
In the case of sulphur dioxide (SO2), the sulfur atom is the central atom surrounded by two oxygen atoms. The sulfur atom has six valence electrons, while each oxygen atom has six valence electrons.

Electron Pair Arrangement
According to the VSEPR theory, the electron pairs will arrange themselves in a way that minimizes repulsion. In the case of SO2, there are two bonding pairs (between sulfur and oxygen) and two lone pairs of electrons on the sulfur atom.

Repulsion between Electron Pairs
The repulsion between the bonding pairs and the lone pairs causes the atoms to arrange themselves in a bent shape. The lone pairs occupy more space than the bonding pairs and exert a greater repulsive force, pushing the bonding pairs closer together.

Resulting Bent Structure
As a result of this repulsion, the sulfur dioxide molecule adopts a bent or V-shaped structure. The angle between the two oxygen atoms is approximately 119 degrees, which is less than the ideal angle of 120 degrees in a trigonal planar arrangement.

Summary
In summary, the structure of sulphur dioxide (SO2) is best described as bent or V-shaped due to the repulsion between the two lone pairs of electrons on the central sulfur atom. This structure is determined by the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory, which predicts the arrangement of electron pairs around a central atom based on minimizing repulsion.