Shapes of molecules

• What is the shape of a molecule with 3 bond pairs and 1 lone pair?

  Pyramidal
• What is the bond angle in a pyramidal molecule like NH₃?

  107°
• What is the shape of a molecule with 2 bond pairs and 2 lone pairs?

  Bent
• What is the bond angle in a bent molecule like H₂O?

  104.5°
• What is the shape of a molecule with 3 bond pairs and 2 lone pairs?

  Trigonal Planar
• What is the shape of a molecule with 4 bond pairs and 2 lone pairs?

  Square Planar
• What is the bond angle in a square planar molecule like XeF₄?

  90°
• How do lone pairs affect the bond angle in a molecule?

  Lone pairs repel equally from opposite sides, keeping the bond angle unchanged.
• What is the shape of a molecule with 2 bond pairs and 0 lone pairs?

  Linear
• What is the bond angle in a linear molecule like BeCl₂?

  180°
• What is the shape of a molecule with 3 bond pairs and 0 lone pairs?

  Trigonal Planar
• What is the bond angle in a trigonal planar molecule like BF₃?

  120°
• What is the shape of a molecule with 4 bond pairs and 0 lone pairs?

  Tetrahedral
• What is the bond angle in a tetrahedral molecule like CH₄?

  109.5°
• What is the shape of a molecule with 5 bond pairs and 0 lone pairs?

  Trigonal Bipyramidal
• What is the bond angle in a trigonal bipyramidal molecule like PCl₅?

  90° and 120°
• What is the shape of a molecule with 6 bond pairs and 0 lone pairs?

  Octahedral
• What is the bond angle in an octahedral molecule like SF₆?

  90°
• What are the shapes of molecules with lone pairs and their corresponding bond pairs?

  • BP=3, LP=1: Pyramidal (NH₃), 107°
  • BP=2, LP=2: Bent (H₂O), 104.5°
  • BP=3, LP=2: Trigonal Planar (ClF₃)
  • BP=4, LP=2: Square Planar (XeF₄), 90°
• What are the shapes of molecules without lone pairs and their corresponding bond pairs?

  • BP=2, LP=0: Linear (BeCl₂), 180°
  • BP=3, LP=0: Trigonal Planar (BF₃), 120°
  • BP=4, LP=0: Tetrahedral (CH₄), 109.5°
  • BP=5, LP=0: Trigonal Bipyramidal (PCl₅), 90° and 120°
  • BP=6, LP=0: Octahedral (SF₆), 90°
• What is the bond angle for a molecule with no lone pairs?

  180°
• How do you determine the shape of a molecule?

  By considering the presence of lone pairs and bond angles
• What is the bond angle for a tetrahedral molecule?


  109.5°
• What is the bond angle for a trigonal planar molecule?

  120°
• What is the bond angle for a molecule with one lone pair?

  107°
• What is the bond angle for a molecule with two lone pairs?

  104.5°
• What is the bond angle for a molecule with three lone pairs?

  90°
• What is the bond angle for a molecule with four lone pairs?

  120°
• What is the bond angle for a molecule with five lone pairs?

  90°
• What is the bond angle for a molecule with six lone pairs?

  90°