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Total valence electons = 26. Bonding electrons = 6. Place the Phosphorus in the center with the three Oxygens bonded to it. Use 20 (26-6) electrons to fill the octets of the oxygens... you have 2 electons left over to put on the phosphorus to fill its octet. 3 bonds plus 1 lone pair gives a steric number of 4. With one lone pair, the molecular geometry is trigonal pyramidal.

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12y ago

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