How many bridging oxygen atoms are presents in `P_(4)O_(10)` ?

Options

A. 6
B. 4
C. 2
D. 5

Answer

To determine the number of bridging oxygen atoms in \( P_4O_{10} \), we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Structure of \( P_4O_{10} \)
- \( P_4O_{10} \) consists of 4 phosphorus (P) atoms and 10 oxygen (O) atoms.
- The structure can be visualized as a tetrahedral arrangement of phosphorus atoms with oxygen atoms forming bridges between them.

### Step 2: Draw the Structure
- Begin by sketching the phosphorus atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement.
- Each phosphorus atom is connected to oxygen atoms. Some of these oxygen atoms will be bridging between phosphorus atoms.

### Step 3: Identify the Types of Oxygen Atoms
- In \( P_4O_{10} \), there are two types of oxygen:
- Terminal oxygen atoms: These are bonded to only one phosphorus atom.
- Bridging oxygen atoms: These are bonded to two phosphorus atoms.

### Step 4: Count the Bridging Oxygen Atoms
- By analyzing the structure, we can identify which oxygen atoms are bridging.
- In the structure of \( P_4O_{10} \), we can find that there are 6 bridging oxygen atoms.

### Step 5: Conclusion
- Therefore, the total number of bridging oxygen atoms in \( P_4O_{10} \) is **6**.

### Final Answer:
The number of bridging oxygen atoms in \( P_4O_{10} \) is **6**.

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