Molecular Geometry

What dimension does Lewis structures describe connectivity in 

2D

What geometries do real molecules have 

3D

What can the 3D orientation of atoms have dramatic influence on 

chemical properties of a molecule

What are molecules formed from 

covalently bonded atoms

What two things does Covalent’s bonds optimal lengths allow 

balance the penalty of nuclear repulsion and the benefit of sharing electrons

What do molecules with three or more atoms have 

multiple covalent bonds

What are these bonds called 

pairs of electrons

What do molecules adopt shapes to minimize 

minimize repulsion of electrons, minimizing energy

True or false. Compounds with the same structure (connectivity) can have vastly different properties due to differences in shape (3-D) 

True

What does VSEPR Theory stand for 

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory

What is the simple premise of the VSEPR Theory. What does this represent

bonds and lone pairs centered on an atom take on an arrangement that maximizes the separation between them.

represents an energy minimizing position of the groups

How many electron group arrangements are there 

5

What are arrangements based on 

the number of electron regions around a central atom

What can be found under each arrangement 

one or more molecular shapes that the central atom adopts based on the positions of the bonded nuclei

What can electron regions be 

bonding pairs or lone pairs

How many regions do single, double, and triple bonds count as 

one region

What is molecular geometry governed by 

positions of nuclei about the central atom

What do AXnEm designations assigned to molecules determine 

molecular shape

What does Xn represent 

bonding group (n is the number of these groups)

What does Em represent 

lone pairs (m is the number of these groups)

True or false. X is any bonding group, the type of bonded atom does not matter, only the number of bonded atoms 

True

What is the Geometry of AX2 

Linear

What is the Geometry of AX2E

Bent

What is the Geometry of AX3 

Trigonal planar

What is the Geometry of AX4 

Tetrahedral

What is the Geometry of AX3E 

Trigonal pyramidal 

What is the Geometry of AX2E2

Bent