Indicate the hybridization of the central atom in (c) P_1OH₂₃ (d) AlI₃.

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Identify the central atom in the molecule AlI3, which is Aluminum (Al).

Count the number of atoms directly bonded to the central atom. In AlI3, there are three iodine (I) atoms bonded to aluminum.

Determine the number of lone pairs on the central atom. Aluminum in AlI3 does not have any lone pairs.

Add the number of bonding groups (from step 2) and lone pairs (from step 3) to find the steric number. For AlI3, the steric number is 3.

Use the steric number to determine the hybridization of the central atom. A steric number of 3 corresponds to sp2 hybridization.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Hybridization

Hybridization is a concept in chemistry that describes the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals. These hybrid orbitals are used to explain the geometry of molecular bonding. The type of hybridization depends on the number of electron pairs around the central atom, influencing the shape and bond angles of the molecule.

VSEPR Theory

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory is used to predict the geometry of molecules based on the repulsion between electron pairs in the valence shell of the central atom. According to VSEPR, electron pairs will arrange themselves as far apart as possible to minimize repulsion, which helps determine the molecular shape and the hybridization of the central atom.

Molecular Geometry of AlI3

Aluminum triiodide (AlI3) has a trigonal planar molecular geometry due to the presence of three bonding pairs of electrons and no lone pairs on the aluminum atom. This arrangement corresponds to sp2 hybridization, where one s orbital and two p orbitals mix to form three equivalent sp2 hybrid orbitals, allowing for the formation of three Al-I bonds at 120-degree angles.

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