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Question
which structure has the central atom placed correctly? o-o-s o-o s o-s-o
In a molecule, the central atom is usually the one with the lowest electronegativity (except for hydrogen). Sulfur (S) has a lower electronegativity than oxygen (O). In the structure \(O - S - O\), sulfur is in the middle, which is correct as it can form bonds with two oxygen atoms. In \(O - O - S\), oxygen is wrongly placed in the middle. The triangular structure \(O - O\) with \(S\) at the bottom is not a valid simple linear or common bonding arrangement for this context.
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\(O - S - O\)