Question

For many years after they were discovered, it was believed that the noble gases could not form compounds. Now we know that belief to be incorrect. A mixture of xenon and fluorine gases, confined in a quartz bulb and placed on a windowsill, is found to slowly produce a white solid. Analysis of the compound indicates that it contains 77.55% Xe and 22.45% F by mass.
(a) What is the formula of the compound?
(b) Write a Lewis structure for the compound.
(c) Predict the shape of the molecules of the compound.
(d) What hybridization is consistent with the shape you predicted?

Answer 1

Answer:We are already given with the mass of the Xe and it is 5.08 g. We can calculate for the mass of the fluorine in the compound by subtracting the mass of xenon from the mass of the compound.

 mass of Xenon (Xe) = 5.08 g

 mass of Fluorine (F) = 9.49 g - 5.08 g = 4.41 g

Determine the number of moles of each of the element in the compound. 

   moles of Xenon (Xe) = (5.08 g)(1 mol Xe / 131.29 g of Xe) = 0.0387 mols of Xe

  moles of Fluorine (F) = (4.41 g)(1 mol F/ 19 g of F) = 0.232 mols of F

The empirical formula is therefore,

     Xe(0.0387)F(0.232)

Dividing the numerical coefficient by the lesser number.

    XeF₆

Explanation: