The correct answer is: c) electron geometry is bent, molecular geometry is bent.
To understand this, let’s start by examining the central atom, chlorine (Cl), in the molecule ClO2. Chlorine has 7 valence electrons and is bonded to two oxygen atoms, which contribute their own electron pairs. However, chlorine also has a lone pair of electrons that is not involved in bonding.
When we analyze the arrangement of electrons around the chlorine atom, we see that there are two bonding pairs (from the Cl-O bonds) and one lone pair. This gives a total of three regions of electron density. According to the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory, these regions will arrange themselves to minimize repulsion, leading to a bent shape.
For the electron geometry, considering the three regions of electron density (the two bond pairs and one lone pair), it can also be classified as bent. However, if we only consider the bonded atoms without the lone pair, the molecular geometry formed is also bent due to the presence of the lone pair pushing the bonding pairs closer together.
In summary, both the electron geometry and molecular geometry around the chlorine atom in ClO2 are bent due to the influence of the lone pair, making the overall structure asymmetrical.