Explain hybridisation of the central atom in SiC{l_4}.

Silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) is a molecule composed of one silicon (Si) atom and four chlorine (Cl) atoms bonded to it. To understand the hybridization of the central silicon atom (Si) in SiCl4, we first need to determine the molecular geometry of the molecule.

To do this, we can use the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory, which predicts the molecular geometry based on the arrangement of valence electron pairs around the central atom. In SiCl4, the silicon atom has four valence electrons, and each chlorine atom contributes one valence electron, giving a total of 4 + 4x1 = 8 valence electrons.

The Lewis structure of SiCl4 can be drawn as follows:

Si: Cl
|
Cl - Si - Cl
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Cl

In this Lewis structure, you can see that silicon forms four sigma (σ) bonds with four chlorine atoms. There are no lone pairs of electrons around the silicon atom. The molecular geometry of SiCl4 is tetrahedral, where the four chlorine atoms are arranged symmetrically around the silicon atom.

Now, let's determine the hybridization of the silicon atom. In a tetrahedral molecular geometry, the central atom's s and p orbitals hybridize to form four equivalent hybrid orbitals, which are called sp3 hybrid orbitals. These sp3 hybrid orbitals are arranged in a tetrahedral geometry, which allows them to overlap with the four chlorine atoms to form sigma bonds.

So, in SiCl4, the silicon atom undergoes sp3 hybridization, meaning that one 3s orbital and three 3p orbitals of silicon combine to form four sp3 hybrid orbitals. These hybrid orbitals are then used to form sigma bonds with the four chlorine atoms, resulting in the tetrahedral molecular geometry of SiCl4.

In summary, the central silicon atom in SiCl4 undergoes sp3 hybridization to form four equivalent sp3 hybrid orbitals, which are used to bond with four chlorine atoms, resulting in a tetrahedral molecular geometry.