In which of the following molecular shape dz^2-orbital must not be involved in bonding ? — Chemical Bonding Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1: Examine the hybridization and geometries. BeF2 has sp hybridization with no lone pairs on Be, which gives it a linear shape. H2O has sp3 hybridization with two bonding pairs and two lone pairs, resulting in a bent shape. Step 2: In linear BeF2, the two polar Be-F bond dipoles pull in exactly opposite directions and cancel out completely, resulting in mu = 0. Step 3: In bent H2O, the polar O-H bond dipoles and the lone pair dipoles reinforce each other, resulting in a net dipole moment. Hence, the difference is due to BeF2 being linear and H2O being bent (option d).