JEE Main 2025 Jan 22 Shift 1, Chemistry Q23: Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory

JEE Main2025Jan 22, Shift 1Chemistry

The number of molecules/ions that show linear geometry among the following is _______ .

SO $_{2}$ , BeCl $_{2}$ , CO $_{2}$ , N $_{3}^{-}$ , NO $_{2}$ , F $_{2}$ O, XeF $_{2}$ , NO $_{2}^{+}$ , I $_{3}^{-}$ , O $_{3}$

Your answer

Solution

Check each species for a linear (bond angle $= 18 0^{\circ}$ ) shape:

$∙$ BeCl $_{2}$ : 2 bond pairs, 0 lone pair on Be $\Rightarrow$ linear (sp). $✓$

$∙$ CO $_{2}$ : O $=$ C $=$ O, sp on C $\Rightarrow$ linear. $✓$

$∙$ N $_{3}^{-}$ : N $=$ N $=$ N with sp central N $\Rightarrow$ linear. $✓$

$∙$ XeF $_{2}$ : AX $_{2}$ E $_{3}$ (sp $^{3}$ d), linear because the three lone pairs occupy equatorial sites. $✓$

$∙$ NO $_{2}^{+}$ : isoelectronic with CO $_{2}$ , sp on N $\Rightarrow$ linear. $✓$

$∙$ I $_{3}^{-}$ : AX $_{2}$ E $_{3}$ (sp $^{3}$ d), linear. $✓$

Bent or angular species (not linear): SO $_{2}$ , NO $_{2}$ , F $_{2}$ O, O $_{3}$ .

$∴$ Number of linear species $= 6$ .

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