What is the molecular geometry of the molecule XeF_2?

• A. Trigonal planar
• B. Bent
• C. Tetrahedral
• D. Linear

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Determine the total number of valence electrons for the central atom and the surrounding atoms. Xenon (Xe) is a noble gas with 8 valence electrons, and each fluorine (F) atom has 7 valence electrons. Since there are two fluorine atoms, calculate the total valence electrons as \$8 + 2 \times 7$.
2. Draw the Lewis structure by placing the xenon atom in the center and bonding it to the two fluorine atoms with single bonds. Each bond accounts for 2 electrons. Then, distribute the remaining electrons to satisfy the octet rule for fluorine atoms and place any leftover electrons on the xenon atom as lone pairs.
3. Count the number of bonding pairs and lone pairs around the central xenon atom. This will help determine the electron pair geometry using the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory.
4. Apply the VSEPR theory to predict the molecular geometry. For XeF\(_2\), the xenon atom has two bonding pairs and three lone pairs, which arrange themselves to minimize repulsion in a trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry. The lone pairs occupy equatorial positions, and the bonding pairs occupy axial positions.
5. Conclude that the molecular geometry, which considers only the positions of atoms (not lone pairs), is linear because the two fluorine atoms are positioned opposite each other along a straight line.