How many electron pairs are on the boron atom in BCl3?Question 4Select one:a.3b.6c.8d.18e.32

Break Down the Problem

1. Identify the electron configuration of boron.
2. Determine the bonding situation in BCl₃.
3. Count the number of electron pairs associated with the boron atom.

Relevant Concepts

• Boron (B) has an atomic number of 5, which means it has 3 valence electrons (in the 2s and 2p orbitals).
• BCl₃ is a covalent compound where boron is the central atom bonded to three chlorine atoms.

Analysis and Detail

1. Valence Electrons of Boron: Boron has 3 valence electrons (2s² 2p¹).
2. Bonding in BCl₃: Boron forms three single covalent bonds with three chlorine atoms, utilizing all 3 valence electrons.
3. Lone Pairs on Boron: After forming these bonds, boron does not have any remaining valence electrons to form lone pairs.

Verify and Summarize

• Boron uses its three valence electrons to form bonds, thus it has no lone pairs left on the boron atom in BCl₃.

Final Answer

The number of electron pairs on the boron atom in BCl₃ is 0. Since none of the options present this answer, it seems to be a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the available choices. The relevant electron pair count solely considers bonding pairs and lone pairs.