The compound SiO₂ does not exist as a discrete molecule while CO₂ does.This can be explained because: A)The Si-O bond is unstable. B)The Lewis structure of SiO₂ has an even number of electrons. C)The SiO₂ is a solid while CO₂ is a gas. D)The 3p orbital of the Si has little overlap with the 2p of the O. E)None of these.

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The correct answer is D because Si and O are located in different periods of the periodic table, and their orbitals have different energy levels. The 3p orbital of the Si atom has little overlap with the 2p orbital of the oxygen atom due to the large difference in energy levels, which makes the formation of a Si-O bond less favorable compared to the formation of a C-O bond in CO. This means that SiO₂ does not exist as a discrete molecule, while CO₂ does. The other options are not correct because: A) The Si-O bond can be stable in other compounds. B) The Lewis structure having an even number of electrons does not prevent the formation of a molecule, and even molecules like N2 or O2 have an even number of electrons. C) The physical state of a compound does not prevent the formation of a molecule since many solids like diamond or graphite are made of discrete molecules.

The Compound SiO2 Does Not Exist as a Discrete Molecule

The Compound SiO₂ Does Not Exist as a Discrete Molecule