VSEPR Geometry - MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

The idea of VSEPR (valence shell electron pair repulsion) theory is that valence electron pairs repel each other, arranging themselves into positions that minimize their repulsions by maximizing the distance between them. The positions of these electron pairs then determine the overall geometry of the molecule. Molecular geometry is thus determined by the arrangement of electrons and nuclei such that the electrons are as far from one another as possible, while remaining as close to the positively charged nucleus as possible.

Sulfur hexaflouride (SF6) is an example of octahedral geometry, as it follows the skeleton of AX6E0 format. A refers to sulfur, X to fluorine, and E to the lone pair electrons.

Square planar has an AX4E2 format, while tetrahedral and trigonal bipyramidal follow AX4 and AX5 formats, respectively.

Of the available answer choices, only has a tetrahedral geometry. Tetrahedral molecules have four constituents bound to the central without any lone pairs.

has three bonds and a lone pair. It has a tetrahedral electronic geometry, but not molecular geometry. has two double bonds, which give it a linear geometry. has two lone pairs, giving the compound a square planar geometry.

In order to determine which molecule will have the smallest bond angle(s), make sure to factor in both the number of atoms around the central atom as well any lone pairs on the central atom. has two lone pairs around the central sulfur atom, which pushes the two hydrogens closer together than the ones found in and .

Octahedral geometry always corresponds to the hybridization. hybridization corresponds to a general formula of . hybridization corresponds to a general formula of , hybridization corresponds to a general formula of , and hybridization corresponds to a general formula of .

The central atom, sulfur, is surrounded by four electron groups (oxygen atoms), two of which are double bonded. Also note that the lone pairs are on the oxygen atoms, not the central atom. Thus the molecular geometry is tetrahedral.

According to VSEPR theory, the electron pairs will repel each other as much as possible. Therefore, in the octahedral shape, the lone pairs will be on opposite ends of the molecule, or from each other. For a molecule with a steric number of six (four atoms plus two lone pairs on the central atom), the basic geometry is octahedral. Since there are two lone pairs, the geometry becomes a slight variation of octahedral, square planar.

Recall the following relationships between geometry and number of pairs of electrons on the central atom.

2: linear

3: trigonal planar

4: tetrahedral

5: trigonal bipyriamidal

6: octahedral

To visualize the geometry, we need to think of how many electron pairs are on the central atom. Drawing Lewis dot diagrams may be helpful here. None of the answer choices has lone central electron pairs, with the exception of water, so the number of atoms bound to the central atom is the same as the number of central electron pairs.

The only one that does not match up with the correct geometry is SF6, which is actually octahedral since it has six central electron pairs. In a water molecule, the central oxygen has six valence electrons, plus one from each bond with hydrogen, for a total of eight central electrons and four central electron pairs. So, this geometry is a variation on the tetrahedral form (bent), in which two central electron pairs are not bound.

The idea of VSEPR (valence shell electron pair repulsion) theory is that valence electron pairs repel each other, arranging themselves into positions that minimize their repulsions by maximizing the distance between them. The positions of these electron pairs then determine the overall geometry of the molecule. Molecular geometry is thus determined by the arrangement of electrons and nuclei such that the electrons are as far from one another as possible, while remaining as close to the positively charged nucleus as possible.

Sulfur hexaflouride (SF6) is an example of octahedral geometry, as it follows the skeleton of AX6E0 format. A refers to sulfur, X to fluorine, and E to the lone pair electrons.

Square planar has an AX4E2 format, while tetrahedral and trigonal bipyramidal follow AX4 and AX5 formats, respectively.

Of the available answer choices, only has a tetrahedral geometry. Tetrahedral molecules have four constituents bound to the central without any lone pairs.

has three bonds and a lone pair. It has a tetrahedral electronic geometry, but not molecular geometry. has two double bonds, which give it a linear geometry. has two lone pairs, giving the compound a square planar geometry.

In order to determine which molecule will have the smallest bond angle(s), make sure to factor in both the number of atoms around the central atom as well any lone pairs on the central atom. has two lone pairs around the central sulfur atom, which pushes the two hydrogens closer together than the ones found in and .

Octahedral geometry always corresponds to the hybridization. hybridization corresponds to a general formula of . hybridization corresponds to a general formula of , hybridization corresponds to a general formula of , and hybridization corresponds to a general formula of .

The central atom, sulfur, is surrounded by four electron groups (oxygen atoms), two of which are double bonded. Also note that the lone pairs are on the oxygen atoms, not the central atom. Thus the molecular geometry is tetrahedral.

According to VSEPR theory, the electron pairs will repel each other as much as possible. Therefore, in the octahedral shape, the lone pairs will be on opposite ends of the molecule, or from each other. For a molecule with a steric number of six (four atoms plus two lone pairs on the central atom), the basic geometry is octahedral. Since there are two lone pairs, the geometry becomes a slight variation of octahedral, square planar.

Recall the following relationships between geometry and number of pairs of electrons on the central atom.

2: linear

3: trigonal planar

4: tetrahedral

5: trigonal bipyriamidal

6: octahedral

To visualize the geometry, we need to think of how many electron pairs are on the central atom. Drawing Lewis dot diagrams may be helpful here. None of the answer choices has lone central electron pairs, with the exception of water, so the number of atoms bound to the central atom is the same as the number of central electron pairs.

The only one that does not match up with the correct geometry is SF6, which is actually octahedral since it has six central electron pairs. In a water molecule, the central oxygen has six valence electrons, plus one from each bond with hydrogen, for a total of eight central electrons and four central electron pairs. So, this geometry is a variation on the tetrahedral form (bent), in which two central electron pairs are not bound.

The idea of VSEPR (valence shell electron pair repulsion) theory is that valence electron pairs repel each other, arranging themselves into positions that minimize their repulsions by maximizing the distance between them. The positions of these electron pairs then determine the overall geometry of the molecule. Molecular geometry is thus determined by the arrangement of electrons and nuclei such that the electrons are as far from one another as possible, while remaining as close to the positively charged nucleus as possible.

Sulfur hexaflouride (SF6) is an example of octahedral geometry, as it follows the skeleton of AX6E0 format. A refers to sulfur, X to fluorine, and E to the lone pair electrons.

Square planar has an AX4E2 format, while tetrahedral and trigonal bipyramidal follow AX4 and AX5 formats, respectively.

Of the available answer choices, only has a tetrahedral geometry. Tetrahedral molecules have four constituents bound to the central without any lone pairs.

has three bonds and a lone pair. It has a tetrahedral electronic geometry, but not molecular geometry. has two double bonds, which give it a linear geometry. has two lone pairs, giving the compound a square planar geometry.