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Valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory (/ ˈ v ɛ s p ər, v ə ˈ s ɛ p ər / VESP-ər, [1]: 410 və-SEP-ər [2]) is a model used in chemistry to predict the geometry of individual molecules from the number of electron pairs surrounding their central atoms. [3]
This shape is found when there are four bonds all on one central atom, with no extra unshared electron pairs. In accordance with the VSEPR (valence-shell electron pair repulsion theory), the bond angles between the electron bonds are arccos(− 1 / 3 ) = 109.47°. For example, methane (CH 4) is a tetrahedral molecule.
The seesaw geometry occurs when a molecule has a steric number of 5, with the central atom being bonded to 4 other atoms and 1 lone pair (AX 4 E 1 in AXE notation). An atom bonded to 5 other atoms (and no lone pairs) forms a trigonal bipyramid with two axial and three equatorial positions, but in the seesaw geometry one of the atoms is replaced ...
This would result in the geometry of a regular tetrahedron with each bond angle equal to arccos(− 1 / 3 ) ≈ 109.5°. However, the three hydrogen atoms are repelled by the electron lone pair in a way that the geometry is distorted to a trigonal pyramid (regular 3-sided pyramid) with bond angles
In chemistry, an electron pair or Lewis pair consists of two electrons that occupy the same molecular orbital but have opposite spins. Gilbert N. Lewis introduced the concepts of both the electron pair and the covalent bond in a landmark paper he published in 1916. [1] [2]
The linear molecular geometry describes the geometry around a central atom bonded to two other atoms (or ligands) placed at a bond angle of 180°. Linear organic molecules , such as acetylene ( HC≡CH ), are often described by invoking sp orbital hybridization for their carbon centers.
Other molecules have a tetrahedral arrangement of electron pairs around a central atom; for example ammonia (NH 3) with the nitrogen atom surrounded by three hydrogens and one lone pair. However the usual classification considers only the bonded atoms and not the lone pair, so that ammonia is actually considered as pyramidal. The H–N–H ...
[11] [12] This electron distance maximization happens to achieve the most stable electron distribution. [11] [12] The result of VSEPR theory is being able to predict bond angles with accuracy. According to VSEPR theory, the geometry of a molecule can be predicted by counting how many electron pairs and atoms are connected to a central atom.