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

Options

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

Explanation

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

### Step 1: Understand the Structure of \( P_4O_{10} \)
- \( P_4O_{10} \) is a molecular compound composed of phosphorus (P) and oxygen (O) atoms.
- The structure consists of four phosphorus atoms and ten oxygen atoms.

### Step 2: Draw the Structure
- The structure of \( P_4O_{10} \) can be visualized as a tetrahedral arrangement of phosphorus atoms with oxygen atoms bridging between them.
- Each phosphorus atom is connected to oxygen atoms, some of which act as bridging atoms between phosphorus atoms.

### Step 3: Identify Bridging Atoms
- A bridging atom is an atom that connects two or more other atoms in a molecule.
- In \( P_4O_{10} \), the oxygen atoms that connect two phosphorus atoms are considered bridging atoms.

### Step 4: Count the Bridging Atoms
- In the structure of \( P_4O_{10} \), we can identify the bridging oxygen atoms:
- Each of the four phosphorus atoms is connected to two bridging oxygen atoms.
- After analyzing the structure, we find that there are a total of 6 bridging oxygen atoms.

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

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

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