NEETChemistryChemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): The molecule SF ₄ has a see-saw shape. Reason (R): In SF ₄ , the central sulfur atom is sp^3d hybridized and its single lone pair occupies an axial position. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Options
- ABoth (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
- BBoth (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
- C(A) is true but (R) is false
- D(A) is false but (R) is true
Correct answer
C. (A) is true but (R) is false
Step-by-step solution
Assertion (A) is true: The central sulfur atom in SF ₄ has 6 valence electrons. It forms 4 single bonds with fluorine atoms, leaving 1 lone pair. The steric number is 4 + 1 = 5 , which corresponds to sp^3d hybridization and a trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry. With one lone pair, the molecular shape is see-saw. Reason (R) is false: In a trigonal bipyramidal geometry, lone pairs always occupy the equatorial positions, not the axial positions. This is because an equatorial lone pair experiences only two 90^ repu