Electron Pair and Molecular Geometry
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| In this module: |
| Introduction |
| Definitions |
| Electron Pair Geometry |
| Molecular Geometry |
Definitions
What is VSEPR Theory?
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VSEPR Theory is a method developed by R.J. Gillespie and R.S. Nyholm in 1957 as a way to predict the shape, or geometry, or a molecule. It makes use of the following terms:
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| bonding pair: | an electron pair shared between two nuclei in a covalent bond |
| non-bonding pair: | an electron pair centered around one nucleus and not involved in a bond |
| electron domain: | a region of electron density - for example, a non-bonding pair, or a single, double, or triple bond would represent one electron domain |
| electron pair geometry: | the shape of all the electron domains in a molecule |
| molecular geometry: | the shape of only the bonding pairs in a molecule |
Molecular Geometry |
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