Question

The covalency of oxygen in hydronium ion is equal to number of:
A. covalent bonds
B. coordinate bonds
C. covalent bonds and coordinate bonds
D. valence electrons

Answer 1

Hint: Covalency is characterized by the sharing of electrons in a chemical compound which means the number of pairs of electrons an atom can share. Consider the type of covalent bonds made in the hydronium ion.

Complete step by step answer:
The atoms in hydronium ion are in either period 1 or 2, this molecule will adhere to the octet rule.The exception, of course, is the hydrogen. They follow the duet rule (2 electrons). Hydronium is the positive ion present in Arrhenius acid solutions. It is made from a hydrogen ion and water bonding together .Hydronium contains 2 polar covalent bonds and 1 coordinate covalent bond.Oxygen in water contains lone pair of electrons which it donates to the H$^ + $ ions which have a lack of electrons and after doing so the hydronium ion is created.
Thus both the covalent bonds and the coordinate bonds constitute for the covalency of oxygen in the hydronium ion.
So, the correct answer is “Option C”.

Note: Coordinate covalent bonds are also known as dative bonds, or dative covalent bonds. Covalent bonds are formed when 2 electrons are shared between two atoms.Normal covalent bonds are formed when each of the 2 atoms which are to be bonded contribute 1 electron to the bonding pair of electrons.Coordinate covalent bond is formed when both electrons making the bonding pair of electrons are given by the same atom. When the covalent bond is formed it is impossible to tell the origin of the electrons therefore a coordinate covalent bond is exactly the same as any other normal covalent bond.