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Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure for XeF_4?
A
Xe is surrounded by four F atoms and two lone pairs, resulting in a square planar geometry.
B
Xe is surrounded by four F atoms and no lone pairs, resulting in a tetrahedral geometry.
C
Xe is surrounded by four F atoms and one lone pair, resulting in a seesaw geometry.
D
Xe is surrounded by four F atoms and three lone pairs, resulting in a linear geometry.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons for the molecule XeF_4. Xenon (Xe) is a noble gas with 8 valence electrons, and each fluorine (F) atom has 7 valence electrons. Since there are 4 fluorine atoms, multiply 7 by 4 and add to the 8 from xenon: total valence electrons = 8 + (4 \times 7).
Step 2: Draw the skeletal structure with xenon as the central atom bonded to four fluorine atoms. Each Xe-F bond represents 2 electrons.
Step 3: Subtract the electrons used in bonding from the total valence electrons to find the number of remaining electrons. These remaining electrons will be placed as lone pairs on the central atom (Xe) and the fluorine atoms to satisfy the octet rule.
Step 4: Assign lone pairs to the fluorine atoms first to complete their octets (each fluorine needs 3 lone pairs). Then place any remaining lone pairs on the xenon atom.
Step 5: Use the VSEPR theory to determine the molecular geometry. Count the number of bonding pairs (4) and lone pairs on xenon (2) to predict the shape. According to VSEPR, 4 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs on the central atom result in a square planar geometry.