The number of electron pairs present in the valence shell of central atom in `SF_6` molecule are

Options

A. 4
B. 6
C. 8
D. 7

Explanation

To determine the number of electron pairs present in the valence shell of the central atom in the `SF_6` molecule, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Central Atom**:
The central atom in the `SF_6` molecule is sulfur (S).

**Hint**: Look for the atom that is bonded to multiple other atoms; this is usually the central atom.

2. **Determine the Group of Sulfur**:
Sulfur is in Group 16 of the periodic table, which is also known as the oxygen family.

**Hint**: The group number can give you information about the number of valence electrons.

3. **Count the Valence Electrons of Sulfur**:
Sulfur has 6 valence electrons in its outer shell.

**Hint**: The number of valence electrons can typically be found by looking at the group number for main group elements.

4. **Bonding in `SF_6`**:
In `SF_6`, sulfur forms bonds with 6 fluorine atoms. Each fluorine atom contributes 1 electron to the bond.

**Hint**: Remember that in covalent bonding, atoms share electrons.

5. **Calculate Total Electrons Around Sulfur**:
When sulfur bonds with 6 fluorine atoms, it shares its 6 electrons with them. Thus, the total number of electrons around sulfur becomes:
- 6 (from sulfur) + 6 (one from each fluorine) = 12 electrons.

**Hint**: When counting shared electrons, remember to include both the central atom's and the surrounding atoms' contributions.

6. **Determine Electron Pairs**:
Since there are 12 electrons around sulfur, we can find the number of electron pairs by dividing the total number of electrons by 2:
- 12 electrons / 2 = 6 electron pairs.

**Hint**: Each pair consists of 2 electrons, so dividing the total number of electrons by 2 gives you the number of pairs.

### Final Answer:
The number of electron pairs present in the valence shell of the central atom in `SF_6` is **6 pairs of electrons**.