http://www.csun.edu/~hcchm001/shapes-polarity.

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SHAPES AND POLARITY OF MOLECULES

Shapes: Valence-Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory (VSEPR)

1. Electron pairs around a central atom repel each other and move apart as far as possible.
2. Atoms assume a geometry dependent upon the electron pair geometry.
Polarity
1. Bond dipoles point toward the more electronegative atom of the bond.
2. Bond dipoles are "added" up to determine the overall molecule dipole.
(a) If the bond dipoles cancel, the molecule is nonpolar.
(b) If bond dipoles do not cancel, the molecule is polar.

Number of Number of Polar Molecule?

Electron pair identical atoms Atom
e- pairs around Examples
geometry around the geometry bond dipole
the central atom
central atom
?? ??
linear CO2
2 A 2 linear NO
or O C O (bond dipoles cancel)

3 planar bent SO2 YES

2
triangular (bond dipoles add)

A S
O O
or
SO3 NO
A planar (bond dipoles cancel)
3 triangular O
S
O O

4 tetrahedral 2 bent H 2O YES

(bond dipoles add)

A O
H H
or

A
3 pyramidal NH3 YES
(bond dipoles add)
N
H H
H

CCl 4 NO
4 tetrahedral (bond dipoles cancel)
Cl

C
Cl Cl
Cl