Chapter 1, Problem 72IP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The bond that is actually shorter has to be determined.

Concept Introduction:

Bond length is the distance between the centres of two covalently bonded atoms.

Two important trends are:

• Down the group, the bond length between the atoms increases.
• Multiple bonds are shorter than single bonds.

The steric number is the combination of both number of $\sigma$ -bonds and number of lone pairs involved in a particular molecule.

• If the steric number is 4, the central atom is $s{p}^3$ hybridized and the electronic arrangement of atoms in space (i.e. geometry) will be tetrahedral.
• If the steric number is 3, the central atom is sp² hybridized and the electronic arrangement of atoms in space (i.e. geometry) will be trigonal planar.
• If the steric number is 2, the central atom is sp hybridized and the electronic arrangement of atoms in space (i.e. geometry) will be linear.