6 Questions
What determines the shape of a polyatomic molecule according to the VSEPR theory?
The total number of valence shell electron pairs
In VSEPR theory, what does the orientation of electron pairs aim to achieve?
Minimize electron-electron repulsion and maximize distance between them
When a central atom is surrounded by both lone pairs and bond pairs, what can be expected about the molecule's shape?
It will have a distorted shape
What happens to the energy of a molecule when electron pairs around the central atom are closer?
The energy increases
What is the effect of electron pairs lying far apart from each other in a molecule?
Decreased repulsions and lower energy
According to VSEPR theory, where are electron pairs localized in a valence shell?
On the surface of a sphere
Learn about the postulates of the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory which explains the shapes of molecules based on electron pairs. Understand how the central atom, valence shell electron pairs, and electron pair orientation influence the molecular geometry.
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