What do we know about a

molecules shape?
 Lewis Structures
- Show the bonding between atoms of a molecule
- Show lone pairs of electrons that may exist in the molecule
- Don’t give an accurate representation of a molecules shape

-Lewis model doesn’t consider

electron pair repulsion
 Electron Pair Repulsion
• Valence electron pairs surrounding an atom
tend to repel each other
• These lone pairs will adopt an arrangement
that minimizes this repulsion
• This repulsion will determine the molecule's
geometry
VSEPR Model vs Lewis Model
Steric Number
Steric number is the number of
atoms bonded to a central atom of
a molecule plus the number of lone
pairs attached to the central atom.
 Example Water H2O

Central atom is oxygen

2 atoms bonded to the central atom
2 lone pairs attached to the central
atom
Steric number is 4
 Structures to Know for today
• Linear
• Trigonal Planar
• Bent
• Tetrahedral
• Trigonal pyramidal
 The Axe Method
• A represents the central atom
• X represents the atoms bonded to the central
atom
• E represents the lone pairs of electrons
bonded to the central atom
• X + e= the steric number!
 The Axe Method
• Atoms in a molecule want to be as far apart as
possible
• Lone pairs want to be separated from the
atoms in a molecule
• Atoms in a molecule will arrange to increase
the amount of space between them
 Electron repulsion and Bond Angles
Molecules will arrange themselves so that lone pairs are as far away as
possible from the rest of the molecule. This causes the molecules to bend at
angles that are characteristic of certain steric and lone pair numbers.
Example 1 CO2
Example 2 H2O
Example 3 CH4
Example 4 BF3
Example 5 NH3