Question

What is the steric number of the central atom in carbon disulfide?

Answer 1

The steric number of the central atom in `CS_2` is `"2"`.

Explanation:

The steric number is the number of atoms attached to the central atom PLUS the number of lone pairs the central atom bears.

And given, `S=C=S`, in which the carbon atom has no lone pairs, the steric number is 2. The parameter is sometimes useful for `"VESPER"` determinations in which the number of electron pairs about the central atom, bonding AND non-bonding, determines molecular geometry.