chapter 7. ELEMENTS OF GROUPS 16, 17 AND 18 class 12 chemistry textbook solution
3. Answer the following.
vi. Discuss the structure of sulfure dioxide.
Answer:-
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a chemical compound composed of one sulfur atom and two oxygen atoms. Its molecular structure is best described as a bent or V-shaped molecule. Here’s a more detailed description of the structure of sulfur dioxide:
Sulfur Atom (S): At the center of the SO2 molecule is a sulfur atom (S), which forms the central nucleus of the molecule. Sulfur has six valence electrons.
Oxygen Atoms (O): There are two oxygen atoms (O) attached to the sulfur atom. Each oxygen atom has six valence electrons as well.
Covalent Bonds: Sulfur dioxide is held together by covalent bonds, specifically double covalent bonds. Each oxygen atom forms a double bond with the sulfur atom, which means that there are two pairs of electrons shared between the sulfur and each oxygen atom. This results in a total of four shared electrons in the molecule.
V-Shaped or Bent Structure: The presence of the double bonds and the arrangement of electrons give sulfur dioxide its distinctive bent or V-shaped molecular geometry. The bond angles in sulfur dioxide are approximately 119 degrees, giving it a bent shape. This bent structure arises due to the repulsion between the electron pairs in the two oxygen atoms, which forces the two oxygen atoms to be oriented in opposite directions relative to the sulfur atom.
The Lewis structure of sulfur dioxide can be represented as follows, where the lines represent covalent bonds, and the dots represent valence electrons: