Answer: sp 2 hybridisation of S with one lone pair in one sp 2 orbital; the lone pair causes slight compression from ideal 120°.
- A sp<sup>2</sup> hybridisation of S with one lone pair in one sp<sup>2</sup> orbital; the lone pair causes slight compression from ideal 120°
- B sp<sup>3</sup> hybridisation of sulfur with two separate lone pairs occupying tetrahedral sites in the majority of cases studied
- C sp hybridisation of sulfur producing a perfectly linear electron-pair arrangement as widely reported in standard practice
- D A perfectly linear molecular geometry showing an exact 180 degree bond angle under most conditions encountered as frequently observed in practice
Correct answer: A. sp<sup>2</sup> hybridisation of S with one lone pair in one sp<sup>2</sup> orbital; the lone pair causes slight compression from ideal 120°
Explanation: S in SO<sub>2</sub> uses sp<sup>2</sup> hybridisation (one lone pair, two S=O bonds in a bent arrangement); the lone pair compresses the angle slightly from 120°.
Xenon tetrafluoride (XeF4) has six electron domains around xenon — four Xe–F bonds plus two lone pairs. The lone pairs occupy opposite axial positions, leaving the four fluorine atoms in a square-planar shape (Xe–F ≈ 194 pm). Image: ChemSim, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Concept context
Covers the nitrogen family (Group 15), oxygen family (Group 16), halogens (Group 17), and noble gases (Group 18). One of the highest-weightage inorganic chapters in NEET and JEE - includes preparation and properties of HNO₃, H₂SO₄, interhalogens, and xenon compounds.