Question

Mention the shape and draw a diagram of \[{\text{Xe}}{{\text{O}}_3}\] .

Answer 1

Hint:First determine the number of bonding domains and lone pair of electrons present on the central atom. Then calculate the steric number. From the steric number, determine the type of hybridization and geometry.

Complete answer:
The chemical formula \[{\text{Xe}}{{\text{O}}_3}\] represents xenon trioxide.
The central atom is a xenon atom. Xenon is a noble gas element or inert gas element.
The atomic number of xenon is 54 and its electronic configuration is \[\left[ {{\text{Kr}}} \right]4{d^{10}}5{s^2}5{p^6}\].
The atomic number of oxygen is 8 and its electronic configuration is \[\left[ {{\text{He}}} \right]2{s^2}2{p^4}\].
Thus, an oxygen atom has six valence electrons.
In the xenon trioxide molecule, the central xenon atom forms three double bonds with three oxygen atoms. Thus, there are three \[{\text{Xe = O}}\] double bonds in one molecule of xenon trioxide.
Thus, the number of bonding domains is 3. The central xenon atom has one lone pair of electrons. Thus, the steric number for the central xenon atom in xenon trioxide is 4. The steric number of four is associated with tetrahedral electron pair geometry due to \[s{p^3}\] hybridization. Since one lone pair of electrons is present, the molecular geometry is pyramidal.
The diagram of xenon trioxide is shown below:

Structure of Xenon Trioxide

Note:
Steric number is the total number of bonding domains and lone pair of electrons present on the central atom. You can use the steric number to predict the type of hybridization and the molecular geometry.