MgF2 Molecular Geometry - Science Education and Tutorials

Drawing and predicting the MgF2 molecular geometry is very easy. Here in this post, we described step by step method to construct MgF2 molecular geometry.

Table of Contents

Key Points To Consider When drawing The MgF2 Molecular Geometry

A three-step approach for drawing the MgF2 molecular can be used. The first step is to sketch the molecular geometry of the MgF2 molecule, to calculate the lone pairs of the electron in the central magnesium atom; the second step is to calculate the MgF2 hybridization, and the third step is to give perfect notation for the MgF2 molecular geometry.

The MgF2 molecular geometry is a diagram that illustrates the number of valence electrons and bond electron pairs in the MgF2 molecule in a specific geometric manner. The geometry of the MgF2 molecule can then be predicted using the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory (VSEPR Theory) and molecular hybridization theory, which states that molecules will choose an MgF2 geometrical shape in which the electrons have from one another in the specific molecular structure.

Finally, you must add their bond polarities characteristics to compute the strength of the Mg-F bond (dipole moment properties of the MgF2 molecular geometry). The magnesium-fluorine bonds in the magnesium fluoride molecule(MgF2), for example, are polarised toward the more electronegative value fluorine atom, and because both bonds have the same size and polarity, their sum is zero due to the MgF2 molecule’s bond dipole moment, and the MgF2 molecule is classified as a nonpolar molecule.

The molecule of magnesium fluoride (with linear MgF2 molecular geometry) is tilted at 180 degrees and has a difference in electronegativity values between fluorine and magnesium atoms, with fluorine’s pull being greater than magnesium’s. As a result, it has no dipole moment in its molecular structure. The MgF2 molecule has no dipole moment due to an equal charge distribution of negative and positive charges.

MgF2 electron and molecular geometry

According to the VSEPR theory, MgF2 possesses a linear molecular geometry and an MgF2-like electron geometry. Because the center atom, magnesium, has two Mg-F bonds with the two fluorine atoms surrounding it. The F-Mg-F bond generates a 180-degree angle in the linear geometry. The MgF2 molecule has a linear shape because it contains two fluorine atoms.

There are two Mg-F bonds at the linear MgF2 molecular geometry. After linking the two fluorines in the linear form, it maintains the linear-like structure. In the MgF2 linear molecular geometry, the Mg-F bonds have stayed in the two terminals of the molecule.

The center magnesium atom of MgF2 has no lone pairs of electrons, resulting in linear electron geometry. However, the molecular geometry of MgF2 is linear in nature. It’s the MgF2 molecule’s symmetrical geometry. As a result, the MgF2 molecule is nonpolar.

How to find MgF2 molecular geometry

Calculating lone pairs of electron in MgF2 molecular geometry:

Determine the number of lone pairs on the core be an atom of the MgF2 Lewis structure.
Because the lone pairs on magnesium are mostly responsible for the MgF2 molecule geometry distortion, we need to calculate out how many there are on the central magnesium atom of the Lewis structure.

Use the formula below to find the lone pair on the MgF2 molecule’s central magnesium atom.
L.P(Mg = V.E(Mg) – N.A(Mg-F)/2

Lone pair on the central magnesium atom = L.P(Mg)
The core central magnesium atom’s valence electron = V.E(Mg)
Number of Mg-F bonds = N.A (Mg-F)
calculation for magnesium atom lone pair in MgF2 molecule

In the instance of MgF2, the central atom, magnesium, has two electrons in its outermost valence shell and two Mg-F bond connections.

As a result of this, L.P(Mg) = (2 –2)/2=0

In the MgF2 electron geometry structure, the lone pair on the central magnesium atom is zero. It means there are no lone pairs in the core magnesium atom.

Calculate the number of molecular hybridizations of MgF2 Molecular Geometry

How do you find the MgF2 molecule’s hybridization? We must now determine the molecular hybridization number of MgF2.

The formula of MgF2 molecular hybridization is as follows:
No. Hyb of MgF2 = N.A(Mg-F bonds) + L.P(Mg)
No. Hy of MgF2= the number of hybridizations of MgF2
Number of Mg-F bonds = N.A (Mg pair on the central magnesium atom = L.P(Mg)
Calculation for hybridization number for MgF2 molecule

In the MgF2 molecule, magnesium is a core atom with two fluorine atoms connected to it and no lone pairs. The number of MgF2 hybridizations (No. Hyb of MgF2) can then be estimated using the formula below.

No. Hyb of MgF2= 2+0 =2

The MgF2 molecule hybridization is two. The sp hybridization is formed when one S orbital and one p orbital join together to form a molecular orbital.

Notation of MgF2 Molecular Geometry:

Determine the form of MgF2 molecular geometry using VSEPR theory. The AXN technique is commonly used when the VSEPR theory is used to calculate the shape of the MgF2 molecule.

The AXN notation of MgF2 is as follows:
The center carbon atom in the MgF2 molecule is denoted by the letter A.
The bound pairs (Mg-F) of electrons to the core atom are represented by X.
The lone pairs of electrons on the center magnesium atom are denoted by the letter N.
Notation for MgF2 molecular geometry

We know that magnesium is the core atom, with two electron pairs bound (two Mg-F) and zero lone pairs. The general molecular geometry formula for MgF2 is AX2.

According to the VSEPR theory, if the MgF2 molecule has an AX2 generic formula, the molecular geometry and electron geometry will both be linear geometrical forms.

Name of Molecule	Magnesium fluoride
Chemical molecular formula	MgF2
Molecular geometry of MgF2	Linear form
Electron geometry of MgF2	Linear form
Hybridization of MgF2	SP
Bond angle (F-Mg-F)	180º degree
Total Valence electron for MgF2	16
The formal charge of MgF2 on magnesium	0

Summary:

In this post, we discussed the method to construct MgF2 molecular geometry, the method to find the lone pairs of electrons in the central magnesium atom, MgF2 hybridization, and MgF2 molecular notation. Need to remember that, if you follow the above-said method, you can construct MgF2 molecular structure very easily.