back to directory
NEET CHEMISTRYChemical Bonding and Molecular StructureEasy

Question

The species, having bond angles of 120° is :

A

PH3\text{PH}_3

B

ClF3\text{ClF}_3

C

NCl3\text{NCl}_3

D

BCl3\text{BCl}_3

Step-by-Step Solution

To determine the bond angles, we need to find the hybridisation and geometry of each species using VSEPR theory:

  • BCl3\text{BCl}_3: The central boron atom has 3 valence electrons and forms 3 σ\sigma bonds with chlorine atoms, leaving 0 lone pairs. Its steric number is 3, corresponding to sp2sp^2 hybridisation. The geometry is trigonal planar, which results in bond angles of exactly 120120^\circ.
  • PH3\text{PH}_3: Phosphorus has 5 valence electrons. It forms 3 σ\sigma bonds and has 1 lone pair. Due to Drago's rule, hybridisation is negligible, and the bond angle is close to 9090^\circ (93.5\sim 93.5^\circ).
  • NCl3\text{NCl}_3: Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons. It forms 3 σ\sigma bonds and has 1 lone pair (sp3sp^3 hybridised). The geometry is trigonal pyramidal, and due to lone pair-bond pair repulsion, the bond angle is compressed to less than 109.5109.5^\circ (107\sim 107^\circ).
  • ClF3\text{ClF}_3: Chlorine has 7 valence electrons. It forms 3 σ\sigma bonds and has 2 lone pairs (sp3dsp^3d hybridised). The geometry is T-shaped, with bond angles slightly less than 9090^\circ due to strong lone pair repulsions. Therefore, BCl3\text{BCl}_3 is the only species with a bond angle of 120120^\circ.

Exam Context & Concepts Covered

This question aligns with the NEET CHEMISTRY syllabus, specifically targeting concepts from Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure. Mastering this topic is crucial for scoring well in the upcoming medical entrance examinations. Solving conceptually related problems will help you understand the nuances of these concepts and improve your problem-solving speed.

CHEMISTRYChemical Bonding and Molecular Structurespecieshavingangles

More Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure Questions

View all

This neet chemistry practice question is part of the TopperSquare free question bank. TopperSquare offers 15,000+ chapter-wise NEET MCQs across Physics, Chemistry, and Biology with detailed step-by-step explanations, full mock tests, NEET PYQs (2010–2024), and an AI-powered performance analytics dashboard. browse all neet practice questions → · practice chemistry sets →