Comment on the nature of two S-O bonds formed in `SO_(2)` molecule. Are the two S-O bonds in this molecule equal?

Explanation

In `SO_(2)` , S is `sp^(2)` -hybridised. Of the three `sp^(2)` -hybrid orbitals, two of them form `sigma`- bonds with oxygen atoms while the third orbital contains the lone-pair of electrons. Thus S is left with a half-filled p - and a half-filled d -orbital which form a `ppi-ppi` and a `ppi-dpi` double bond with oxygen atoms. Thus though the two S-O bonds appear to be different, they are actually equal in bond length (143 pm) (due to resonance) with O-S-O bond angle `119.5^(@)` (bent structure).