How can I predict molecular geometry?
1 Answer
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Find the central molecules' steric numbers.
This is the total number of electron pairs and bonds with other atoms.
Take, for example, ammonia:
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Thus, it is in the form
Consider
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Its steric number is
An easy way to remember all the shapes:
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Each steric number has a same "basic shape":
Once there are any electron pairs, one spoke of the original shape gets "eaten up": for example, a
Similar logic applies to all the shapes, you just have to remember which "spoke" will be taken up by an electron pair.