Exams › JEE Main › Chemistry

Choose the sequence that correctly represents the decreasing order of repulsion between electron pairs:

1. lone pair - lone pair > lone pair - bond pair > bond pair - bond pair
2. lone pair - lone pair > bond pair - bond pair > lone pair - bond pair
3. bond pair - bond pair > lone pair - bond pair > lone pair - lone pair
4. lone pair - bond pair > bond pair - bond pair > lone pair - lone pair

Correct answer: lone pair - lone pair > lone pair - bond pair > bond pair - bond pair

Solution

The correct option reflects the fact that lone pairs of electrons occupy more space and repel each other more strongly than bond pairs, leading to the order of repulsion being highest for lone pair-lone pair interactions, followed by lone pair-bond pair interactions, and lowest for bond pair-bond pair interactions.

Related JEE Main Chemistry questions

• Although the electronegativity gap between N and F is larger than that between N and H, ammonia has a dipole moment of 1.5 D while nitrogen trifluoride has only 0.2 D. The reason is that
• When N₂ is converted into N₂⁺, the dissociation energy of the N–N bond ______, and when O₂ is converted into O₂⁺, the dissociation energy of the O–O bond ______.
• From the ions listed below, which pair has geometries that can be accounted for by the same type of orbital hybridization? NO₂⁻, NO₃⁻, NH₂⁻, NH₄⁺, SCN⁻
• Atoms A and B have electronegativities of 1.20 and 4.0, respectively. What is the percentage ionic character of the A–B bond?
• In the phosphate ion, PO₄³⁻, what is the formal charge on an oxygen atom that is singly bonded to phosphorus in a P–O bond?
• Among the following species, which one has no unpaired electrons?

⚔️ Practice JEE Main Chemistry free + battle 1v1 →