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Oxides of phosphorus
Concepts tested here
- Structure of P4O10
All Questions
2010 AIPMT-MAINS 1 question
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How many bridging oxygen atoms are present in $P_4O_{10}$?In $P_4O_{10}$ the four phosphorus atoms lie at the corners of a tetrahedron.
A tetrahedron has six edges; along each edge there is one oxygen atom bridging two phosphorus atoms (a P–O–P linkage). This gives 6 bridging oxygen atoms.
Each phosphorus atom also carries one terminal oxygen atom (P=O), giving 4 terminal oxygen atoms.
Total oxygen atoms = 6 + 4 = 10, in agreement with the formula.
Number of bridging oxygen atoms = 6