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Aluminium chloride exists as a dimer because aluminium has: (a) greater I.P. \(\square\) (b) incomplete \(p\) -orbital \(\square\) (c) larger radius \(\square\) (d) high nuclear charge \(\square\)

Short Answer

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(b) incomplete p-orbital

Step by step solution

01

Identify Characteristics of Aluminium

Aluminium (Al) has an atomic number of 13. This means it has an electronic configuration of 1s虏 2s虏 2p鈦 3s虏 3p鹿. Notice that the 3p orbital has only one electron.
02

Recognize the Reason for Dimerization

A molecule will form a dimer if there is a need to complete or stabilize its electron configuration. For aluminium chloride (AlCl鈧), dimerization occurs to satisfy electron deficiency.
03

Understand the Role of Incomplete p-Orbital

Since the aluminium in AlCl鈧 has an incomplete 3p orbital (with only one electron), it needs additional electrons to complete it. By sharing electron pairs in the dimer (Al鈧侰l鈧), aluminium can attain relative stability.
04

Match Characteristics to Options

From the characteristics given: (a) greater ionization potential (I.P.) doesn't directly cause dimerization, (b) an incomplete p-orbital enables dimerization, (c) larger radius isn't relevant for dimerization, and (d) high nuclear charge without completing electron orbitals does not cause dimerization.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Incomplete p-Orbital
Aluminium chloride is an interesting molecule due to its capacity to form a dimer, specifically because of its incomplete p-orbital. When we look at the electronic configuration of aluminium, we see that it is 1s虏 2s虏 2p鈦 3s虏 3p鹿. This configuration highlights that the 3p orbital only has one electron. Having an incomplete p-orbital means that the aluminium atom is not fully stable, as it lacks the electron pairs that can lead to a complete octet.
To stabilize, aluminium seeks additional electrons, and it does this by sharing them with neighboring atoms. In the case of aluminium chloride ( AlCl鈧 ), this sharing happens via dimerization, resulting in a structure where the aluminium atoms can attain additional stability by partnering up and compensating for the lack of electrons in the p-orbital.
Electron Configuration
Understanding the electron configuration of aluminium is key to comprehending why it participates in dimerization. Aluminium has an atomic number of 13, which translates to a specific sequence of electrons filling up its orbitals: 1s虏 2s虏 2p鈦 3s虏 3p鹿. Here, the significant aspect is the presence of just one electron in the 3p orbital.
This incomplete electronic setup prompts aluminium to seek stability by completing its outer energy level. A complete outer shell results in an atom being more energetically favorable. Aluminium achieves this by forming coordinate bonds where electrons are shared with other atoms, leading to a dimer ( Al鈧侰l鈧 ) where it connects with another aluminium to effectively compensate for its electron shortfall.
Electron Deficiency
Electron deficiency is an important concept when discussing why aluminium chloride forms a dimer. An electron-deficient molecule has fewer electrons around the central atom than needed to adhere to the octet rule. In the case of AlCl鈧, the aluminium atom is electron deficient.
It seeks to fill its electron gap to become stable. This is achieved through bond formation with another molecule. By forming a dimer, Al鈧侰l鈧, the aluminium atoms can acquire enough electron density to satisfy their octet, hence reducing their electron deficiency. This cooperation between molecules is a fundamental aspect of their ability to stabilize and lower their energy needs.
Dimer Stability
The stability of an aluminium chloride dimer is a noteworthy aspect and it all ties back to the concepts of electron deficiency and sharing. When AlCl鈧 molecules form dimers to become Al鈧侰l鈧 , the bridging chlorine atoms donate a pair of electrons to the aluminium atoms. This sharing results in a stable electron arrangement for aluminium.
The dimers represent a more stable state, energetically and structurally, compared to their monomeric forms. This stability comes from the partial fulfillment of the octet rule through electron sharing, hence providing strong, reversible bonds within the dimer structure, balancing the electron economy for the aluminium atoms and reducing overall reactivity.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Which one of the following is alum? (a) \(\mathrm{NH}_{4} \mathrm{Fe} \cdot\left(\mathrm{SO}_{4}\right) 2 \cdot 12 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) (b) \(\mathrm{KCl} \cdot \mathrm{MgCl}_{2} \cdot 6 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) (c) \(\left(\mathrm{NH}_{4}\right)_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4} \cdot \mathrm{FeSO}_{4} \cdot 6 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) (d) \(\mathrm{NaNH}_{4} \cdot \mathrm{SO}_{4}\)

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