What Is The Hybridization Of The Central Atom In XeO4?

The central atom in XeO4 is xenon (Xe). To determine the hybridization of the central atom, we need to count the number of electron groups (both bonding and lone pairs) around the central atom. In XeO4, there are four oxygen atoms bonded to the central xenon atom, and no lone pairs on the central atom.

Therefore, the total number of electron groups around the central atom is 4. According to the valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory, these four electron groups will arrange themselves in a tetrahedral geometry around the central atom.

For this tetrahedral arrangement, the hybridization of the central atom is sp3, meaning that the xenon atom uses all of its available orbitals (one s orbital and three p orbitals) to form four hybrid orbitals with equal energy and shape. These hybrid orbitals will then overlap with the oxygen atoms' orbitals to form four Xe-O bonds in XeO4.