In: Chemistry
For triatomic molecules (i.e., molecules that contain three atoms) such as difluorine monoxide, F2O, there are only two possible molecular geometries, linear or bent.
a. Draw the Lewis structure for F2O (O is the central atom), and predict the molecular geometry using the VSEPR model.
b. Could infrared spectroscopy be used to confirm the molecular geometry that is predicted using the VSEPR model? That is, could the infrared spectrum for F2O be used to determine whether the molecule is linear or bent? Explain your reasoning.