Molecular Geometry

Before We Begin
Here are some words you should know the definitions for  Bond Angle  VSEPR Model  Electron Domain  Nonbonding Pairs  Electron Domain Geometry  Molecular Geometry  Coordination Number

Bond Angle
 Definition from your text book:
The angles made by the lines joining the nuclei of the atoms in a molecule

 So basically that means:

The angle made between any three atoms in a molecule

VSEPR Model
 Definition from your text book:
Valence-Shell Electron-Pair Repulsion Model; a model that accounts for the geometric arrangements of shared and unshared electron pairs around a central atom in terms of the repulsions between electron pairs.

 So basically that means:

A scientific model of what shapes are formed when atoms bond depending on how many bond and how many nonbonding electrons are involved

Electron Domain
 Definition from your text book:
In the VSEPR model, regions about a central atom in which electrons are concentrated

 So basically that means:

The spot on the molecule where electrons can be found

Nonbonding Pairs
 Definition from your text book:
In a Lewis Structure a pair of electrons assigned completely to one atom; also called a lone pair

 So basically that means:

Any Electrons on any of the atoms that are not involved in bonding

Electron Domain Geometry

 Definition from your text book:
The three-dimensional arrangement of the electron domains around an atom according to the VSPER model

 So basically that means:

Where the nonbonding electrons are in terms of the other atoms

Molecular Geometry
 Definition from your text book:
The arrangement in space of the atoms of a molecule

 So basically that means:

How the atoms of a molecule are put together and what shapes they form

Coordination Number
 Definition from your text book:
The number of adjacent atoms to which an atom is directly bound. In a complex the coordination number of the metal ion is the number of donor atoms to which it is bound

 So basically that means:

The number of groups (nonbonding electrons and atoms) are on one central atom

About Coordination Number 2

 2 groups attached to a central atom  Only shape that can from Coordination Number 2: Linear

Linear
 Number of atoms on central atom: 2  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 0  Bond Angles: 180

About Coordination Number 3

 3 groups attached to a central atom  Shapes that can from Coordination Number 3:
Trigonal Pyramidal (Parent Shape) Bent

Trigonal Planer
 Number of atoms on central atom: 3  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 0  Bond Angles: 120

Bent
 Number of atoms on central atom: 2  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 1  Bond Angles: 120

About Coordination Number 4

 4 groups attached to a central atom  Shapes that can from Coordination Number 4:
Tetrahedral (Parent Shape) Trigonal Pyramidal Bent

Tetrahedral
 Number of atoms on central atom: 4  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 0  Bond Angles: 109.5

Trigonal Pyramidal
 Number of atoms on central atom: 3  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 1  Bond Angles: 109.5

Bent
 Number of atoms on central atom: 2  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 2  Bond Angles: 109.5

About Coordination Number 5

 5 groups attached to a central atom  Shapes that can from Coordination Number 5:
Trigonal Bypyramidal (Parent Shape) See-Saw T-Shaped Linear

Up until now
 Where to put the nonbonding electrons has not mattered because all of the spots are exactly the same (all of the spots are exactly the same angle away from all of the other spots)  Not True for Coordination Number 5 and 6
Two different spots for the nonbonding electrons to occupy

Rules for Placing the Nonbonding Electrons in Coordination Number 5

 All nonbonding electrons get placed in the equatorial positions (i.e. the ones in the trigonal plane)

Trigonal Bypyramidal
 Number of atoms on central atom: 5  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 0  Bond Angles: 90, 120, 180

See Saw
 Number of atoms on central atom: 4  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 1  Bond Angles: 90, 120, 180

T-Shaped
 Number of atoms on central atom: 3  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 2  Bond Angles: 90, 180

Linear
 Number of atoms on central atom: 2  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 3  Bond Angles: 180

About Coordination Number 6

 6 groups attached to a central atom  Shapes that can from Coordination Number 6:
Octahedral (Parent Shape) Square Pyramidal Square Planer T-Shaped Linear

Rules for Placing the Nonbonding Electrons in Coordination Number 6

 All nonbonding electrons get placed on one axis at a time  i.e., when there is one pair of electrons, it gets placed anywhere. Lets say one of the positions on the x-axis of the molecule. When there are two pairs of electrons, the first pair goes in the same spot and the second pair goes in the other position on the x-axis

Octahedral
 Number of atoms on central atom: 6  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 0  Bond Angles: 90, 180

Square Pyramidal
 Number of atoms on central atom: 5  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 1  Bond Angles: 90, 180

Square Planer
 Number of atoms on central atom: 4  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 2  Bond Angles: 90, 180

T-Shaped
 Number of atoms on central atom: 3  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 3  Bond Angles: 90, 180

Linear
 Number of atoms on central atom: 2  Number of nonbonding electron pairs on central atom: 4  Bond Angles: 90, 180