6.5 VSEPR Theory and Molecular Shapes Ch. 6 Bonding 6.5 VSEPR Theory and Molecular Shapes
VSEPR Theory V alence S hell E lectron P air R epulsion repulsion between pairs of electrons around an atom cause them to be as far apart as possible used to predict the geometry of molecules
Molecular Shapes diatomic molecules will always be linear all other molecules can have different shapes based on the number of charge clouds around the central atom charge clouds include: bonding pairs lone pairs
2 Charge Clouds O = C = O no lone pairs: linear CO2
- O = S O 3 Charge Clouds no lone pairs: trigonal planar CH2O 1 lone pair: bent SO2 - O = S O
4 Charge Clouds no lone pairs: CH4 tetrahedral 1 lone pair: NH3 2 lone pairs: H2O bent 1 lone pair: NH3 trigonal pyramidal
5 Charge Clouds no lone pairs: trigonal bipyramidal PCl5 1 lone pair: seesaw SF4
5 Charge Clouds 2 lone pairs: T-shaped ClF3 3 lone pair: Linear I3-
6 Charge Clouds no lone pairs: octahedral SF6 2 lone pairs: square planar XeF4 1 lone pair: square pyramidal SbCl52- Cl Cl Sb Cl Cl Cl