What is the hybridization of phosphorus trichloride?(a) s{{p}^{3}} (b) s{{p}^{2}} (c) sp(d) None of these

The hybridization of phosphorus trichloride (PCl3) is (c) sp3.

Phosphorus has 5 valence electrons, and chlorine has 7 valence electrons. To form PCl3, phosphorus shares one electron with each of the three chlorine atoms, and one of its lone pairs of electrons is used to form a bond with each chlorine atom. This results in the formation of three sigma (σ) bonds between phosphorus and the three chlorine atoms.

In order to form these three sigma bonds, phosphorus undergoes sp3 hybridization. In sp3 hybridization, one s orbital and three p orbitals of phosphorus combine to form four equivalent sp3 hybrid orbitals. These sp3 hybrid orbitals then overlap with the 3p orbitals of chlorine atoms to form the sigma bonds, resulting in the tetrahedral geometry of PCl3.