QUESTION IMAGE
Question
- a molecule with the formula ab₂, in which a and b represent different atoms, could have one of three different shapes. sketch and name the three different shapes that this molecule might have. give an example of a molecule or ion for each shape.
Brief Explanations
- Linear shape: When the central atom \(A\) has no lone pairs. The electron - pair geometry and molecular geometry are both linear. The bond angle is \(180^{\circ}\).
- Bent or V - shape with \(120^{\circ}\) bond angle: When the central atom \(A\) has one lone pair. The electron - pair geometry is trigonal planar, and the molecular geometry is bent.
- Bent or V - shape with \(109.5^{\circ}\) bond angle: When the central atom \(A\) has two lone pairs. The electron - pair geometry is tetrahedral, and the molecular geometry is bent.
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- Linear shape:
- Sketch: \(B - A - B\) (straight line).
- Name: Linear.
- Example: \(BeCl_{2}\) (in the gas phase). The central \(Be\) atom has \(2\) bonding pairs and \(0\) lone pairs. The electron - pair geometry (based on VSEPR, which considers the arrangement of electron pairs around the central atom) and molecular geometry are both linear.
- Bent (\(120^{\circ}\)):
- Sketch: \(\overset{\space\space\space\space\space\space}{B}\underset{\space\space\space\space\space\space}{/}\space A\space\backslash\underset{\space\space\space\space\space\space}{B}\) (approximate \(120^{\circ}\) angle between \(A - B\) bonds).
- Name: Bent (or V - shape).
- Example: \(SO_{2}\). The central \(S\) atom has \(2\) bonding pairs and \(1\) lone pair. The electron - pair geometry is trigonal planar (because \(2\) bonding + \(1\) lone pair), and the molecular geometry is bent.
- Bent (\(109.5^{\circ}\)):
- Sketch: Similar to the \(120^{\circ}\) bent but with a more closed - up angle (approximate \(109.5^{\circ}\)).
- Name: Bent (or V - shape).
- Example: \(H_{2}O\). The central \(O\) atom has \(2\) bonding pairs and \(2\) lone pairs. The electron - pair geometry is tetrahedral (because \(2\) bonding + \(2\) lone pair), and the molecular geometry is bent.