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Ch.10 - Chemical Bonding II: Molecular Shapes & Valence Bond Theory
Chapter 10, Problem 54a,b

The valence electron configurations of several atoms are shown here. How many bonds can each atom make without hybridization? a. B 2s22p1 b. N 2s22p3

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Identify the valence electrons of the atom. For boron (B), the valence electron configuration is 2s^2 2p^1, which means it has 3 valence electrons.
Determine the number of unpaired electrons in the valence shell. In the case of boron, the 2s orbital is fully paired with 2 electrons, and the 2p orbital has 1 unpaired electron.
Recognize that the number of bonds an atom can form is typically equal to the number of unpaired electrons it has in its valence shell.
Since boron has 1 unpaired electron in its 2p orbital, it can form 1 bond without hybridization.
Conclude that boron can form 1 covalent bond without hybridization, as it has 1 unpaired electron available for bonding.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and are crucial in determining how an atom can bond with others. The number of valence electrons influences the atom's ability to form bonds, as these electrons are involved in chemical reactions and bonding interactions. For example, boron (B) has three valence electrons, which allows it to form three bonds.
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Bonding Capacity

Bonding capacity refers to the maximum number of bonds an atom can form based on its valence electron configuration. Atoms can typically form bonds by either sharing, losing, or gaining electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, often resembling that of noble gases. In the case of boron, with its configuration of 2s²2p¹, it can form three covalent bonds.
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Hybridization

Hybridization is a concept in chemistry that describes the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals, which can accommodate bonding in more complex geometries. However, the question specifies 'without hybridization,' meaning we consider only the original atomic orbitals. For boron, without hybridization, the bonding is determined solely by its valence electrons in the 2s and 2p orbitals.
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