Question

Assuming that all infrared vibrations are active, what is

themaximum number of infrared lines possible for sulfur dioxide,
SO2,which is a non - linear molecule?

Answer 1

The number of lines possible for SO2 is 3

Step-by-step explanation:

The following Procedure should be followed when calculating the number of vibrational modes:-

1. Identify if the given molecule is either linear or non-linear
2. Calculate the number of atoms present in your molecule
3. Place the value of n in the formula and solve.

SO2 is a non-linear molecule because it contains a lone pair which causes the molecule to bent in shape hence, The mathematical formula for calculating the number of non-linear molecule in a infrared region is (3n - 6) here n is the number of atoms in molecule.

hence for Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), n will be 3

Therefore, The number of lines possible for SO2 is (3*3) - 6 = 3