Multiple Choice
According to Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory, which of the following does the theory primarily consider when predicting molecular geometry?
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12. Molecular Shapes & Valence Bond Theory
Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory
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According to Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory, what is the steric number (SN) of the central atom in the molecule NH3?
A
3
B
5
C
4
D
2
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the central atom in the molecule NH\_3, which is nitrogen (N).
Determine the number of atoms bonded to the central atom. In NH\_3, nitrogen is bonded to 3 hydrogen atoms.
Count the number of lone pairs of electrons on the central atom. Nitrogen in NH\_3 has 1 lone pair of electrons.
Calculate the steric number (SN) by adding the number of atoms bonded to the central atom and the number of lone pairs on it: \(\text{SN} = \text{number of bonded atoms} + \text{number of lone pairs}\).
For NH\_3, this means \(\text{SN} = 3 + 1 = 4\), which corresponds to the steric number of the central nitrogen atom.
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