Question

How many bridging oxygen atoms are present in ${\mathrm{P}}_4{\mathrm{O}}_{10}$?

Answer 1

${\mathrm{P}}_4{\mathrm{O}}_{10}$:

• In ${\mathrm{P}}_4{\mathrm{O}}_{10}$, there are 4 phosphorus atoms and 10 oxygen atoms.
• The number of oxygen atoms attached to each phosphorus atom is 4.
• Bridging Oxygen is the Oxygen atom linked with $\mathrm{P}-\mathrm{O}-\mathrm{P}$ a bond.
• There are 6 $\mathrm{P}-\mathrm{O}-\mathrm{P}$ bonds present and each is sp³ hybridized.

Hence, there are 6 bridging oxygen atoms in ${\mathrm{P}}_4{\mathrm{O}}_{10}$.