To understand the characteristics of BeH₂ (Beryllium Hydride), let’s break down the required information step by step.
Electron Configuration
The electron configuration of beryllium (Be) is 1s² 2s². In its ground state, beryllium has two valence electrons in the 2s orbital. Each hydrogen (H) atom has one electron, so two hydrogen atoms will contribute two more electrons to the bonding.
Lewis Structure
For the Lewis structure of BeH₂, we place beryllium in the center with its two valence electrons. Each hydrogen atom forms a single bond with beryllium by sharing one electron. Therefore, the Lewis structure can be represented as follows:
H | Be - H
In this representation, Be is connected to two H atoms with single bonds, and there are no lone pairs on the beryllium atom.
Molecular Geometry
The molecular geometry of BeH₂ can be described using VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory. Since beryllium has two bonding pairs and no lone pairs, the molecular geometry is linear. The angle between the hydrogen-boron-hydrogen bonds is 180 degrees.
Electronic Geometry
The electronic geometry also considers the arrangement of the electron pairs around the central atom. In the case of BeH₂, since there are two bonding pairs and no lone pairs, the electronic geometry is also linear.
In summary, for BeH₂:
- Electron Configuration: 1s² 2s²
- Lewis Structure:
H - Be - H - Molecular Geometry: Linear
- Electronic Geometry: Linear