Question #62e5a

1 Answer
smartspot2
Jan 6, 2018

#\text{SO}_3# has an incomplete octet; it has 12 electrons assigned to the central S atom instead of the typical 8.

Explanation:

The structure of #\text{CO}_2# is
![https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD0Xl4acUFg](useruploads.socratic.org)

The central atom (carbon) has 8 electrons assigned to it, making it a full octet.

The structure of ICL is
![https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AFiaxdu3Y0](useruploads.socratic.org)

Both iodine and chlorine have 8 electrons assigned to it, making both of them have a full octet.

The structure of #\text{SO}_3# is
![http://geometryofmolecules.com/so3-lewis-structure-polarity/](useruploads.socratic.org)

The central atom (sulfur) has a total of 12 electrons assigned to it, so the central atom of #\text{SO}_3# has an incomplete octet.

The structure of #\text{O}_3# is
![https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9D4wt_CQjo](useruploads.socratic.org)

Although #\text{O}_3# has resonance structures, the central atom in all of these resonance structures have 8 electrons assigned to it, making them have a full octet.

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