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Question
chemical name: phosphorus monoxide trichloride formula: pocl₃ lewis electron - dot structure: perspective drawing with bond angles: standard electron geometry: molecular geometry: hybridization of central atom: is the molecule polar, nonpolar, or ion?
Step1: Determine valence - electrons
Phosphorus (P) has 5 valence electrons, oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons, and chlorine (Cl) has 7 valence electrons. For $POCl_3$, the total number of valence electrons is $5 + 6+3\times7=32$.
Step2: Draw Lewis structure
The central atom is P. P forms a double - bond with O and single - bonds with three Cl atoms. P has no lone pairs. The Lewis structure has O with two lone pairs and each Cl with three lone pairs.
Step3: Determine electron geometry
The number of electron - groups around the central P atom is 4 (3 bonding pairs and 1 double - bond which counts as one group). Using VSEPR theory, the standard electron geometry is tetrahedral.
Step4: Determine molecular geometry
Since there are no lone pairs on the central P atom, the molecular geometry is also tetrahedral.
Step5: Determine hybridization
The hybridization of the central P atom is $sp^3$ as it has 4 electron - groups around it.
Step6: Determine polarity
The molecule is polar because the electronegativity of O is higher than P and the electronegativity of Cl is also higher than P. The bond dipoles do not cancel out due to the presence of the polar P - O and P - Cl bonds.
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Lewis electron - dot structure: P is the central atom with a double - bond to O and single - bonds to three Cl atoms. O has 2 lone pairs and each Cl has 3 lone pairs.
Perspective drawing with bond angles: Tetrahedral shape with bond angles of approximately 109.5°.
Standard electron geometry: Tetrahedral
Molecular geometry: Tetrahedral
Hybridization of central atom: $sp^3$
Is the molecule polar, nonpolar, or ion? Polar