The covalency of oxygen in hydronium ion is equal to number of (a) covalent bonds (b) coordinate bonds (c) covalent bonds and coordinate bonds (d) valence electrons

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: The covalency of oxygen in a hydronium ion (H3O+) is 3, as it forms one regular covalent bond and two coordinate bonds with hydrogen atoms.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Hydronium Ion structure

Hydronium ion (H3O+) is formed when a water molecule (H2O) accepts a proton (H+). The Lewis structure of hydronium ion shows one oxygen atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms. Oxygen has two lone pairs and forms one regular covalent bond with a hydrogen atom and two coordinate bonds with the other two hydrogen atoms.
02

Define Covalent Bonds, Coordinate Bonds, and Valence Electrons

Covalent bonds are formed by the sharing of electron pairs between two atoms. Coordinate bonds (also called dative bonds) are a type of covalent bond where one atom provides both electrons for the bond, while the other atom accepts both electrons. Valence electrons are the outermost electrons in an atom that are available for bonding with other atoms.
03

Identify Bonds in Hydronium Ion

In the hydronium ion (H3O+), Oxygen forms one regular covalent bond with a hydrogen atom, where each atom contributes one electron, and it forms two coordinate bonds with the other two hydrogen atoms, where oxygen provides both electrons for the bond.
04

Determine Covalency of Oxygen in Hydronium Ion

The covalency of an element refers to the number of covalent bonds it forms. In hydronium ion, oxygen forms one regular covalent bond and two coordinate bonds. Therefore, the covalency of oxygen in hydronium ion is equal to the number of covalent bonds (option a) plus coordinate bonds (option b), which is a total of 3. So, the correct answer is: (c) covalent bonds and coordinate bonds

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