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Understanding Molecular Geometry Basics

The document explains molecular geometry and its determination using Lewis structures and VSEPR theory, which describes how atoms and electron pairs repel each other to form specific shapes. It provides examples of different molecular geometries, such as tetrahedral for CH4 and bent for H2O, along with AXE notation for categorizing molecular structures. Additionally, it includes resources for visualizing molecular shapes and practice problems with video explanations for various molecules.

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Katty Margarita Morales Vega ESTUDIANTE
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© © All Rights Reserved
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60 views3 pages

Understanding Molecular Geometry Basics

The document explains molecular geometry and its determination using Lewis structures and VSEPR theory, which describes how atoms and electron pairs repel each other to form specific shapes. It provides examples of different molecular geometries, such as tetrahedral for CH4 and bent for H2O, along with AXE notation for categorizing molecular structures. Additionally, it includes resources for visualizing molecular shapes and practice problems with video explanations for various molecules.

Uploaded by

Katty Margarita Morales Vega ESTUDIANTE
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Molecular Geometry More guides at

[Link]
Video Workbook with Dr. B.

Lewis Structures show the arrangement of atoms and Molecular Geometry


electron pairs.
Molecular Geometry using AXN
Molecular Geometry shows us the shape of molecules. Notation
VSEPR* tells us that the atoms and electron pairs
around the central atom push each other away and There are two main ways to find the Molecular
spread out. This gives a molecule its shape/geometry. Geometry for a molecule. Both look at the atoms
and lone pairs bonded to the central atom.
*Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory

Important Ideas
The Electron Pair (also called Lone Pair) has
volume and occupies space, like atoms.

The Bonded Atoms and Electron Pairs have a


negative charge on their surface and repel each
other. But they stay bonded to the central atom.

They spread out to give the molecule its shape.

Example: CH4
Four atoms bonded to
central atom.
Steric number is 4.
No lone pairs

Geometry is Tetrahedral.
Bond angles are 109.5°

Note that the bond angles are general and can differ from the ideal values in the table.
Example: H2O Example: NH3
Two atoms bonded to central atom. Three atoms bonded to central atom.
Two lone pairs. One lone pair.
Steric number is 4. Steric number is 4.
Geometry is Bent Geometry is Trigonal Pyramidal.
Bond angle is about 109.5° (actual 104.5°). Bond angle is about 109.5° (actual 107°).

Chart for higher steric numbers.


Visualizing the Shapes of Molecules

Visualizing how atoms and lone pairs repel each other


will greatly enhance your understanding of VSEPR.

This free app is a powerful visualization tool:


[Link]

Practice
Use the app to build molecules of CH4, H2O, and NH3
based on the Lewis Structures above.

You can also use the AXE notation. A is the central atom, X is the number of bonding pairs
(think of this as atoms), and E is the number of lone pairs bonded to the central atom.

For CH4:
• C is the central atom so we write A1 or just A.
• There are four atoms bonded to C so we write X4.
• There are no lone pairs so we write E0

We end up with AX4 (we don’t need to write E0). Look AX4 up, or memorize it, and we find
that AX4 is tetrahedral.

For NH3:
• N is the central atom so we write A1 or just A.
• There are three atoms bonded to N so we write X3.
• There is one lone pair so we write E1

We end up with AX3E1 . Look that up, or memorize, we find that AX4E1 is trigonal
pyramidal.
Charts like this are
available on the web.
This is a portion of a
AXE cart from
Wikipedia.

Practice with Video Explanations

Find the Molecular Geometry for the following molecules:

Easy Medium Difficult


H2 [Link] N2 [Link] SF6 [Link]

CCl4 [Link] NO2- [Link] CH3OH [Link]

HCN [Link] XeF4 [Link] PCl5 [Link]

SO2 [Link] ClO2- [Link] BF3 [Link]

Answers
SO2 Bent ClO2- Bent BF3 Trigonal Planar
HCN Linear
XeF4 Square Planar PCl5 Trigonal Bipryamidal
CCl4 Tetrahedral
NO2- Bent CH4OH Tetrahedral
H2 Linear
Linear N2 SF6 Octahedral

Report errors and suggestions to DrB@[Link]

[Link]

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