Multiple Choice
How does sodium obey the octet rule when reacting to form compounds?
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11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Octet Rule
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Which of the following species will have an expanded octet?
A
CO2
B
NH3
C
CH4
D
SF6
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that an expanded octet occurs when an atom has more than 8 electrons in its valence shell, which is possible for elements in period 3 or beyond because they have d orbitals available for bonding.
Examine each species: CO2, NH3, and CH4 all have central atoms from period 2 (C, N), which cannot have expanded octets because they lack accessible d orbitals.
SF6 has sulfur as the central atom, which is in period 3 and can accommodate more than 8 electrons by using its d orbitals, allowing an expanded octet.
Therefore, identify SF6 as the species with an expanded octet because sulfur forms six bonds, exceeding the octet rule.
Summarize that only elements in period 3 or beyond can have expanded octets, and among the given options, SF6 is the only one that fits this criterion.
