Question

the hybridization of the central atom in ocl₂ is ______. :cl - o - cl: o sp³d² o sp³ o sp² o sp o sp³d

Explanation:

Step1: Determine the number of electron - groups around the central atom

The central atom in \(OCl_2\) is oxygen (\(O\)). Oxygen has 2 bonding pairs (with \(Cl\) atoms) and 2 lone pairs. So the total number of electron - groups around \(O\) is \(2 + 2=4\).

Step2: Relate the number of electron - groups to hybridization

The number of hybrid orbitals is equal to the number of electron - groups around the central atom. When the number of electron - groups \(n = 4\), the hybridization is \(sp^{3}\).

Answer:

sp³