Which of the following species is a radical?

Which of the following species is a radical?
  1. CO2
  2. NO
  3. NO2-
  4. CN-

Solution

According to the question, radical is an exception case to the octet rule which occurs when there is an odd number of electrons in an atom.

In case of nitrogen oxide, it has 15 Odd electrons (seven valency electrons of nitrogen and eight valency electrons of oxygen), so this species work as radical. 

In case of CO2, the total electrons are 16 (even), in case of nitro ion, total valency electrons are 24 (even), In case of cyanide ion, total valency electrons are 12 (even).

.

Asked in: JEE-TOPICTESTS-CHEMISTRY

Practice more CHEMICAL BONDING AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE questions on Aicharya