What is the molecular shape of NH3?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the molecular geometry of ammonia (NH3). To address this, we will consider the arrangement of atoms and lone pairs around the nitrogen atom to determine its shape.
Answer
Trigonal Pyramidal
The final answer is Trigonal Pyramidal
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is Trigonal Pyramidal
More Information
The NH3 molecule has a trigonal pyramidal shape due to the presence of a lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom, which repels the bonding pairs of electrons, causing the structure to adopt this shape.
Tips
A common mistake is to assume the shape is tetrahedral because NH3 has four regions of electron density. However, one of these regions is a lone pair, which changes the geometry to trigonal pyramidal.
Sources
- VSEPR Theory | Chemistry LibreTexts - chem.libretexts.org
- Ammonia (NH3) Lewis Structure - chemistrytalk.org
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