What is the shape of `SO_3` molecule in gaseous state?

Explanation

To determine the shape of the `SO3` molecule in the gaseous state, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Determine the Valence Electrons
- **Sulfur (S)** has an atomic number of 16, with the electron configuration of `1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁴`. Thus, sulfur has 6 valence electrons (2 from 3s and 4 from 3p).
- **Oxygen (O)** has an atomic number of 8, with the electron configuration of `1s² 2s² 2p⁴`. Each oxygen atom contributes 6 valence electrons. Since there are three oxygen atoms, they contribute a total of `3 × 6 = 18` valence electrons.

### Step 2: Calculate Total Valence Electrons
- Total valence electrons in `SO3` = 6 (from S) + 18 (from 3 O) = 24 valence electrons.
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