MCAT General Chemistry: VSEPR Theory

Electronic geometry

Refers to the positions of the bonding and non-bonding electrons in a molecule.

Molecular Geometry

Refers to only the positions of the bonding electrons in a molecule.

What is Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory based on?

Based on minimizing steric repulsion between bonding and non-bonding electrons

Electronic and Molecular Geometry if 4 bonding electrons and 0 non-bonding electrons

Electronic: Tetrahedral

Molecular: Tetrahedral

Electronic and Molecular Geometry if 3 bonding electrons and 1 non-bonding electrons

Electronic: Tetrahedral

Molecular: Trig Pyramidal

Electronic and Molecular Geometry if 2 bonding electrons and 2 non-bonding electrons

Electronic: Tetrahedral

Molecular: Bent

Electronic and Molecular Geometry if 1 bonding electrons and 3 non-bonding electrons

Electronic: Tetrahedral

Molecular: Linear

Electronic and Molecular Geometry if 3 bonding electrons and 0 non-bonding electrons

Electronic: Trigonal Planar

Molecular: Trigonal Planar

Electronic and Molecular Geometry if 2 bonding electrons and 1 non-bonding electrons

Electronic: Trigonal Planar

Molecular: Bent

Electronic and Molecular Geometry if 1 bonding electrons and 2 non-bonding electrons

Electronic: Trigonal Planar

Molecular: Linear

Electronic and Molecular Geometry if 2 bonding electrons and 0 non-bonding electrons

Electronic: Linear

Molecular: Linear

Electronic and Molecular Geometry if 1 bonding electrons and 1 non-bonding electrons

Electronic: Linear

Molecular: Linear

Ideal bond angle for tetrahedral electronic geometry

109.5

Ideal bond angle for trigonal planar electronic geometry

120

Ideal bond angle for linear electronic geometry

180

Types of orbitals involved in bonding in linear compounds

sp

Type of orbitals involved in bonding in trigonal planar compounds

sp2

Types of orbitals involved in bonding in tetrahedral compounds

sp3

Types of orbitals involved in bonding in trigonal bipyramidal compounds

sp3d

Types of orbitals involved in bonding in octahedral compounds

sp3d2