Home » What’s the difference been molecular shape and molecular geometry?

What’s the difference been molecular shape and molecular geometry?

There is no difference between molecular shape and . They both mean the same thing.
However, there is a difference between molecular shape and electron geometry.
The Lewis structures of CH₄, NH₃, and H₂O are:
They all have four electron pairs about the central atom, so they are all sp³ hybridized.
Their orbitals all point about 109° towards the corners of a tetrahedron. We say that the electron geometry is tetrahedral.
Note that CH₄ has no lone pairs, NH₃ has one lone pair, and H₂O has two lone pairs. The molecular geometry considers only the arrangement of the bonds. It ignores the lone pairs.
In CH₄, the C-H bonds all point towards the corners of a tetrahedron at angles of 109.5°. We say that the molecular geometry and the electron geometry of CH₄ are each tetrahedral.
In NH₃, the three N-H bonds point towards three of the corners of a tetrahedron. The molecule looks like a three-legged stool sitting on the floor with the N atom as a seat on the top. It is like a pyramid with a triangular base.
We say that the molecular shape of NH₃ is trigonal pyramidal, but its electron geometry is still tetrahedral.
In H₂O, the two O-H bonds point towards two of the corners of a tetrahedron. The molecule looks like an obtuse angle.
We say that the molecular shape of H₂O is bent, but its electron geometry is still tetrahedral.

Save Time On Research and Writing
Hire a Pro to Write You a 100% Plagiarism-Free Paper.
Get My Paper
Place your order
(550 words)

Approximate price: $22

Calculate the price of your order

550 words
We'll send you the first draft for approval by September 11, 2018 at 10:52 AM
Total price:
$26
The price is based on these factors:
Academic level
Number of pages
Urgency
Basic features
  • Free title page and bibliography
  • Unlimited revisions
  • Plagiarism-free guarantee
  • Money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 support
On-demand options
  • Writer’s samples
  • Part-by-part delivery
  • Overnight delivery
  • Copies of used sources
  • Expert Proofreading
Paper format
  • 275 words per page
  • 12 pt Arial/Times New Roman
  • Double line spacing
  • Any citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard)

Our guarantees

Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.

Money-back guarantee

You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.

Read more

Zero-plagiarism guarantee

Each paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.

Read more

Free-revision policy

Thanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.

Read more

Privacy policy

Your email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.

Read more

Fair-cooperation guarantee

By sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.

Read more
Live Chat+1 763 309 4299EmailWhatsApp

We Can Handle your Online Class from as low as$100 per week