LESSON 1: Molecular Geometry

Introduction to Molecular Geometry

Objectives:
Describe the geometry of simple compounds.
Determine the polarity of simple molecules thru Molecular Geometry.

MOLECULAR GEOMETRY AND POLARITY

The arrangement of the atoms and lone pairs in a molecule determines the shape and geometry.

Two Types of Geometry:

Molecular geometry- includes the arrangement of atoms around central atom/s in a molecule.
Electron Domain Geometry- includes the arrangement of atoms and lone pair/s around central
atom/s in a molecule.

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory

“The best arrangement of a given number of things is the one that minimizes the repulsions
among them.” In order to attain this, the atoms and lone pairs should be at the farthest distance
away from one another.
Molecular Geometry and Electron
Domain Geometry (with No Lone
Pairs)
Geometry of Molecules with one Central Atom and No Lone Pairs

*For simplicity, we will consider molecules that contain atoms of only two elements, A and B, of
which A is the central atom. These molecules have the general formula ABx, where x is an
integer 2, 3, and so on. Since they do not have lone pairs, their Molecular Geometry is the same
as their Electron Domain Geometry.

AB2: One central atom and two surrounding atoms. Example: Beryllium Chloride (BeCl2) The
Lewis structure of beryllium chloride in the gaseous state is:  

Because the bonding pairs repel each other, they must be at opposite ends of a straight line in
order for them to be as far apart as possible. Hence, they form a linear geometry.

AB3: One Central Atom and three surrounding atoms. Example: Boron Trifluoride (BF3). The
three end atoms are at the corners of an equilateral triangle in a plane hence the atoms form a
trigonal planar

AB4: One central atom and four surrounding Atoms. Example: Methane (CH4). The bond angles
are all 109.5° forming a tetrahedral
AB5: One central atom and five surrounding atom. Example: Phosphorus Pentachloride (PCl5).
The central atom (P in this case) is at the center of the common triangle with the surrounding
atoms positioned at the five corners of the trigonal bipyramid. 

AB6: one central atom and six surrounding atoms. Example: Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6). The
central atom (S in this case) is at the center of the square base and the surrounding atoms are at
the six corners forming an octahedral.
Molecular Geometry and Electron
Domain Geometry (with Lone Pairs)
Geometry of Molecules with one Central Atom with Lone
Pairs
We designate molecules with lone pairs as ABxEy, where A is the central atom, B is a
surrounding atom, and E is a lone pair on A. Both x and y are integers.

***Arrangement of Electron pairs is the same as Electron Domain Geometry***

Polarity of Molecule + Youtube Video
Determining Polarity of a Molecule
*Take note that the polarity of a bond is NOT the same as the polarity of the molecule. We use the
molecular geometry to predict the polarity.

Guide Questions#1:
1. Is the arrangement symmetrical? If No, the molecule is polar. (e.g bent, trigonal pyramid, t-
shape, seesaw). If yes, proceed to question number 2.
2. Do all surrounding atoms have the same or almost equal (0-0.4 difference) electronegativity?
If yes, the molecule is non-polar. If no, the molecule is polar.

**Polar molecules possess dipole moments wherein, they have two partial charges: partially
positive and partially negative. Partial negative charge is located in the atom with the greater
electronegativity since the shared electron is closer to it. Partial positive charge is in the atom with
lower electronegativity.

Example: The molecular geometry of H2O is angular or bent. H and O have an electronegativity
difference of 1.8. Therefore, it is a polar molecule. Since oxygen has the greater electronegativity,
it has the partial negative charge. H ends have the partial positive charge.

Watch: VSEPR Theory and Molecular Geometry

VSEPR Theory and Molecular Geometry