Which of the following has a bent molecular geometry?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following has a bent molecular geometry?
CO2
H2O
CH4
BF3
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following has a bent molecular geometry?
Step 1: Understand what molecular geometry means. It describes the shape of a molecule based on the arrangement of atoms.
Step 2: Identify the molecule in question, which is H2O (water).
Step 3: Recognize that H2O has two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom.
Step 4: Count the lone pairs of electrons on the oxygen atom. There are two lone pairs.
Step 5: Count the bonding pairs of electrons. There are two bonding pairs (one for each hydrogen atom).
Step 6: Use the VSEPR theory (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) to determine the shape. Lone pairs take up more space and push the bonding pairs closer together.
Step 7: Conclude that the presence of two lone pairs and two bonding pairs results in a bent molecular geometry.
