The p-Block Elements · JEE Preparation Chemistry
White phosphorus is less stable and more reactive than red phosphorus due to:
Practice question from The p-Block Elements (JEE Preparation Chemistry), with the correct answer and a step-by-step solution.
medium · MCQ · Q-122207
White phosphorus is less stable and more reactive than red phosphorus due to:
- A.High polymerisation
- B.Ionic bonding in red phosphorus
- C.Angular strain in the tetrahedral moleculeCorrect answer
- D.Presence of triple bonds in white phosphorus
Solution
White phosphorus consists of discrete tetrahedral molecules where the bond angle is only , much lower than the normal tetrahedral angle of . This creates considerable angular strain, making white phosphorus thermodynamically unstable and highly reactive.
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