Question

ClF5 at room temperature is:

• A. Colourless liquid with trigonal bipyramidal geometry.
• B. Colourless liquid with square pyramidal geometry
• C. Colourless gas with square pyramidal geometry
• D. Colourless gas with trigonal bipyramidal geometry.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

\(\text{ClF}_5\) (chlorine pentafluoride) is a compound where chlorine is bonded to five fluorine atoms. To determine its physical state and molecular geometry at room temperature, we consider the following:

Physical State at Room Temperature:

\(\text{ClF}_5\) has a boiling point of approximately 48°C. Since room temperature is typically around 25°C, \(\text{ClF}_5\) exists as a gas under these conditions.

Molecular Geometry:

Chlorine pentafluoride has six regions of electron density (five bonding pairs and one lone pair) around the central chlorine atom.

According to VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory, six regions of electron density adopt an octahedral electron geometry.

The presence of one lone pair distorts the geometry to a square pyramidal molecular shape.

Therefore, \(\text{ClF}_5\) is a colourless gas with a square pyramidal geometry at room temperature.