A VSEPR Chart (or "VSEPR Model") is a handy tool to use both in the classroom and when studying at home. The chart is widely known for helping students in understanding molecular geometry and is generally used during freshman-level Chemistry lessons. VSEPR is short for "Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion," a chemical theory originally developed by R. Gillespie and R. Nyholm for forecasting the shapes of molecules based on the amount of electron pairs circling a central atom. A VSEPR Chart PDF version can be downloaded through the link below.
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Knowing the geometry of molecules is vital to understanding its reactions. VESPR provides a simple method of predicting the geometries of main group compounds. The theory is applied when predicting the combinations of electron doubles around atoms in simple and symmetric molecules. In them, central atoms attach to two or more other atoms. The shapes of these key atoms and the non-bonding electron doubles influence the shape of the larger whole.
Using a Molecular Shape Chart helps to identify the connection between the number of places where valence electrons are situated and to understand the electron geometry around an atom.
A VSEPR Shape Chart consists of columns and rows. The description of the columns and their usage is as follows:
To memorize a VSEPR Theory Chart, you should understand how to determine the basic and secondary shapes. The basic shapes are also known as electron geometries. These shapes depend on the SN of the central atom. Remember which number corresponds to which basic shape:
The secondary shapes, also known as molecular shapes, appear when both atoms and lone pairs are on the central atom. In this case, the number, corresponding to possible shape, should be calculated as SN−1.
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