The number of oxygen atoms bonded to one phosphorous atom in `P_(4)O_(10)` is

Options

A. 4
B. 3
C. 6
D. 5

Answer

To determine the number of oxygen atoms bonded to one phosphorus atom in the compound \( P_4O_{10} \), we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Chemical Formula
The chemical formula \( P_4O_{10} \) indicates that there are 4 phosphorus (P) atoms and 10 oxygen (O) atoms in the molecule.

**Hint:** Start by analyzing the chemical formula to identify the number of atoms of each element present.

### Step 2: Determine the Structure of \( P_4O_{10} \)
The structure of \( P_4O_{10} \) can be visualized as a tetrahedral arrangement of phosphorus atoms, where each phosphorus atom is bonded to oxygen atoms.

**Hint:** Consider how the atoms are arranged in space and how they connect to each other.

### Step 3: Analyze the Bonding
In \( P_4O_{10} \), each phosphorus atom is bonded to oxygen atoms. The typical bonding involves both double bonds and single bonds between phosphorus and oxygen.

**Hint:** Look for patterns in how many oxygen atoms are directly connected to each phosphorus atom.

### Step 4: Count the Oxygen Atoms per Phosphorus Atom
From the structure, we can see that each phosphorus atom is bonded to a total of 4 oxygen atoms. This includes both single and double bonds.

**Hint:** Carefully count the number of oxygen atoms attached to one phosphorus atom based on the structure.

### Step 5: Conclusion
Since each phosphorus atom is bonded to 4 oxygen atoms, the answer is that there are **4 oxygen atoms bonded to one phosphorus atom** in \( P_4O_{10} \).

**Final Answer:** 4

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