The Lewis structure of sulfur trioxide (SO₃) involves a sulfur atom bonded to three oxygen atoms. Sulfur, being in the third period, can expand its octet. Each oxygen forms a double bond with sulfur, resulting in a structure where sulfur has no lone pairs and each oxygen has two lone pairs.
In the Lewis structure of SO₃, there are three double bonds around the central sulfur atom. Each double bond counts as one electron group. Therefore, the number of electron groups around the central sulfur atom is 3.
In the Lewis structure of SO₃, the central sulfur atom has no lone pairs. All valence electrons are involved in bonding with the oxygen atoms.
With three electron groups and no lone pairs on the central atom, the molecular geometry of SO₃ is trigonal planar, not tetrahedral. This is because the electron groups are arranged in a plane to minimize repulsion.
Each S=O bond is polar due to the difference in electronegativity between sulfur and oxygen. Therefore, there are three polar bonds in SO₃.
Despite having polar bonds, the trigonal planar geometry of SO₃ allows the dipoles to cancel out, resulting in a nonpolar molecule.
- Number of Electron Groups: \(\boxed{3}\)
- Number of Lone Pairs on Central Atom: \(\boxed{0}\)
- Molecular Geometry: \(\boxed{\text{trigonal planar}}\)
- Number of Polar Bonds: \(\boxed{3}\)
- Is the molecule polar? \(\boxed{\text{No}}\)
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