StemCET Logo

Chemistry Question 57 – JEE-MAIN 2025

← Back
Among SO2, NF3, NH3, XeF2, ClF3 and SF4, the hybridization of the molecule with non-zero dipole moment and highest number of lone-pairs of electrons on the central atom is :

The dipole moment of a molecule depends on its geometry and the polarity of its individual bonds. Symmetrical molecules often have zero dipole moments even with polar bonds.

● Video Walkthrough
Step 1: Determine Lone Pairs, Geometry, and Dipole Moment for each molecule✦ Active

We analyze each molecule to find the number of lone pairs (LP) on the central atom, its molecular geometry, and whether it has a non-zero dipole moment:

MoleculeCentral AtomValence e−LP on Central AtomGeometryDipole MomentSO2S61BentNon-zeroNF3N51Trigonal pyramidalNon-zeroNH3N51Trigonal pyramidalNon-zeroXeF2Xe83LinearZeroClF3Cl72T-shapedNon-zeroSF4S61See-sawNon-zero
Step 2: Identify the molecule with non-zero dipole moment and highest lone pairs○ Expand

From the analysis, the molecules with a non-zero dipole moment are SO2 (1 LP), NF3 (1 LP), NH3 (1 LP), ClF3 (2 LP), and SF4 (1 LP). Among these, ClF3 has the highest number of lone pairs (2) on its central atom.

💡 Teacher's Secret Hint

Remember that linear and symmetrical geometries (like XeF2) can lead to a zero dipole moment even with polar bonds.

Step 3: Determine the hybridization of the identified molecule○ Expand

For ClF3, the central atom (Cl) has 3 bond pairs and 2 lone pairs. The steric number is 3+2=5. A steric number of 5 corresponds to sp3d hybridization.

💡 Teacher's Secret Hint

The steric number (sum of bond pairs and lone pairs) directly determines the hybridization of the central atom.

✦ STEM Console utilizes AI models to generate step-by-step explanations and math clues. AI can make mistakes.