AP Chemistry : Compounds and Molecules

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Chemistry

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #6 : Vsepr And Bond Hybridization

For which of the following molecules are the molecular and electronic geometries NOT the same?

Possible Answers:

SiH4

SO3

PCl3

BeBr2

Correct answer:

PCl3

Explanation:

The molecular geometry refers to the shape of the molecule's atoms, while the electronic geometry refers to the shape of the molecule's atoms and lone pair electrons. PCl3 has a trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry and a tetrahedral electronic geometry. All other answers have no lone pairs, and therefore have the same molecular and electronic geometries.

Example Question #7 : Vsepr And Bond Hybridization

What is the molecular geometry of ammonia (NH3)?

Possible Answers:

Trigonal pyramidal

Trigonal planar

Tetrahedral

See-saw

Correct answer:

Trigonal pyramidal

Explanation:

This answer relies on remembering that ammonia has a lone electron pair in order to fill its valence shell. Without this lone pair, trigonal planar would be correct, however, since this electron pair is present, it repels the three hydrogens further away from a planar configuration. This results in a trigonal pyramidal shape.

Example Question #2 : Vsepr And Bond Hybridization

Which of the following compounds has an octahedral geometry?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The only answer choice that works is platinum hexafluoride. The platinum molecule is able to bind six fluorine molecules due to the availability of d orbitals in its valence shell. The octahedral shape looks like two pyramids with four sides each that have been stuck together by their bases. We can imagine the platinum at the middle with the six fluorines at each of the vertices of the pyramids. To have the octahedral shape, a molecule must have a central atom and six constituents.

Example Question #9 : Vsepr And Bond Hybridization

 has a trigonal bipyramidal geometry. What are the two bond angles present in ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

In order for the five chlorine atoms around phosphorus to be distanced from one another, they will orient themselves in a trigonal bipyramidal fashion. This results in trigonal planar geometry in the x-axis. There is also one chlorine atom sticking up out of the plane, and one chlorine atom sticking down out of the plane. This results in the chlorine atoms in the trigonal planar geometry being 120o away from each other, and the chlorine atoms in the y-axis being 90o away from the chlorine atoms in the trigional planar geometry.

Example Question #11 : Vsepr And Bond Hybridization

What is the molecular shape of ?

Possible Answers:

Octahedral

Trigonal planar

Tetrahedral

Trigonal bipyramidal

Trigonal pyramidal

Correct answer:

Trigonal pyramidal

Explanation:

NH3 is trigonal pyramidal because it has 4 electron domains, one of them being a lone pair of electrons and the other three being H atoms. When this is arranged in a three-dimensional space, it is trigonal pyramidal in shape.

Example Question #11 : Vsepr And Bond Hybridization

What is the bond angle in the following structure?

 

COH2

Possible Answers:
180
120
109.5
145
120 and 109.5
Correct answer: 120
Explanation:

CO2H is trigonal planar, so the bond angles will be 120 only. 

Example Question #12 : Vsepr And Bond Hybridization

What is/are the approximate bond angle(s) in the following molecule?

COH2

Possible Answers:

120

180

90, 120

90, 109.5

109.5

Correct answer:

120

Explanation:

COH2:        

               :O:

                ||

           H—C—H

 

This is a trigonal planar molecule, which only has bond angles of 120o

Example Question #13 : Vsepr And Bond Hybridization

Consider the following reactions that lead to the production of dichloromethane, CH_2Cl_2:

CH_4+Cl_2\rightarrow CH_3Cl +HCl

CH_3Cl+Cl_2\rightarrow CH_2Cl_2+HCl

 

What is the Cl-Cl bond angle of the product, dichloromethane?

Possible Answers:

120^{\circ}

180^{\circ}

None of the available answers.

109.4^{\circ}

90^{\circ}

Correct answer:

109.4^{\circ}

Explanation:

CH_2Cl_2 has four bonding regions and no lone pairs, so it has a tetrahedral geometry. The bond angles between all of the bonded atoms is 109.4^{\circ}.

Example Question #14 : Vsepr And Bond Hybridization

What are the flourine-flourine bond angles in ?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

has three bonds and one lone pair, so it has a tetrahedral geometry with a trigonal pyramidal shape. Due to its shape, the bond angles are .

Example Question #15 : Vsepr And Bond Hybridization

Which of the following molecules has the largest bond angle between atoms?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

In a compound, the atoms (and electron lone pairs) will be as far away from each other as possible due to the repulsive forces between electrons.

Methane  will have a tetrahedral geometry with bond angles of 109.5o. Both ammonia and water have lone electron pairs, which will decrease the bond angle between atoms. Water will be bent, while ammonia will be trigonal pyramidal. Bent and trigonal pyramidal are both permutations of tetrahedral, with slightly decreased bond angles.

 does not have lone electron pairs and will have a trigonal planar geometry. This results in bond angles of 120o. As a result,  has the largest bond angles out of the options.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors