Which of the following is correct for `SF_(4)`?

Options

A. It has a see-saw shape
B. It has two lone pairs of electrons
C. It has a square planar geometry
D. It has five bonding pairs.

Answer

To determine the correct statement about SF₄, we will analyze the molecular structure, hybridization, and geometry of the molecule step by step.

### Step 1: Determine the Valence Electrons
Sulfur (S) is the central atom in SF₄. The electronic configuration of sulfur is:
- 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁴

Sulfur has 6 valence electrons (the electrons in the outermost shell).

### Step 2: Count the Fluorine Atoms
Each fluorine atom (F) contributes 1 valence electron. Since there are 4 fluorine atoms in SF₄, they contribute:
- 4 × 1 = 4 valence electrons.

### Step 3: Total Valence Electrons
Now, we can calculate the total number of valence electrons in SF₄:
- Total valence electrons = Valence electrons from S + Valence electrons from F
- Total = 6 (from S) + 4 (from 4 F) = 10 valence electrons.

### Step 4: Determine Hybridization
To find the hybridization, we use the formula:
\[ \text{Hybridization} = \frac{1}{2} \left( \text{Number of valence electrons} + \text{Number of monovalent atoms} - \text{Cations} + \text{Anions} \right) \]

In SF₄:
- Number of valence electrons = 6
- Number of monovalent atoms (F) = 4
- There are no cations or anions.

So,
\[ \text{Hybridization} = \frac{1}{2} (6 + 4 - 0 + 0) = \frac{10}{2} = 5 \]

This indicates that the hybridization of SF₄ is sp³d.

### Step 5: Determine the Geometry
With sp³d hybridization, the molecular geometry can be predicted. The arrangement of the orbitals is as follows:
- 4 bonding pairs (from the 4 F atoms)
- 1 lone pair (remaining from the 6 valence electrons)

The presence of one lone pair and four bonding pairs results in a "seesaw" shape (or C-shaped geometry), which is characteristic of SF₄.

### Step 6: Evaluate the Statements
Now we can evaluate the given statements:
- **A**: It has a C-shaped geometry. **(Correct)**
- **B**: It has two lone pairs of electrons. **(Incorrect, it has one lone pair)**
- **C**: It has a square planar geometry. **(Incorrect, it has a seesaw shape)**
- **D**: It has five bonding pairs. **(Incorrect, it has four bonding pairs)**

### Conclusion
The correct statement about SF₄ is **A**: It has a C-shaped geometry.

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