How does phosphorus +oxygen bond to form phosphorus (V) oxide?
What type of bond is formed?
I know that P is multivalent but cannot see how it bonds to O.
Does P loose or gain or share electrons with O?
Answer:
Phosphorus is tetrahedrally coordinated to oxygen in the molecule P4O10 (which is the true molecular formula of phosphorus (V) oxide)
I think the full formula is not quite right.
Instead, it should be: P4 + 5O2 --> P4O10
The term P2O5 is the empirical formula of the molecular formula for phosphorus pentoxide (P4O10).
Please check further info on :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/phosphorus_...
The bond type is definitely covalent! As in all covalent bonds, the two atoms involved share each other electrons (in this case, P and O). As you see from the molecular structure of phosphorus pentoxide available from the wikipedia site, P forms both single and double covalent bonds with O. In a single covalent bond, P shares only one of its electron but in a double covalent bond, P shares two of its electrons.
The reason why P and O form covalent bonds is neither P nor O has any stronger affinity for electrons than the other. In another words, they have equal electron affinity. Thus, it is different to another bond type, eg. ionic bond.
In the case of ionic bond, one of the atom has a stonger affinity for electron than the other, eg. Na+Cl-. In this example, Cl has a stronger affinity for electron than Na.
So, if one atom has a much greater affinity for electrons than another, the two may form an ionic bond. If two atoms have equal electron affinities they form covalent bonds. What if two atoms are slightly unequal? ;-)
Well, I have the answer but I'd like you to actively think about it though ;-)
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