Covalent Bond and Polyatomic Ions

The valence shell electron pair repulsion theory is used to predict the molecular shapes of compounds. What would be the shape of the molecule in the box above according to this theory?

• Trigonal Pyramidal

• Trigonal Planar

• Bent

• Tetrahedral

According to the VSEPR theory, the covalent compound shown above will have which of the following molecular geometries?

• Tetrahedral

• Octahedral

• Trigonal pyramidal

• Trigonal planar

Formic acid is the simplest carboxylic acid. Carboxylic acids are characterized by a carbon which is double bonded to an oxygen as well as being attached to a hydroxyl group. What would be the predicted molecular geometry of formic acid with respect to the carbon atom?

• Trigonal planar

• Trigonal pyramidal

• Tetrahedral

• Trigonal bipyramidal

A diagram of a hydronium molecule is shown above. This is a positively charged polyatomic ion which forms when an acid is dissolved in water. According to the VSEPR theory, what will be the predicted molecular geometry of a hydronium ion?

• Tetrahedral

• Trigonal pyramidal

• Trigonal planar

• Bent

The diagrams above labeled Molecule 1 and Molecule 2 represent molecules with different electron geometries. In these diagrams, A represents the central atom and X represents the bonding groups. Which of the following is the most accurate prediction about the molecular geometries of these molecules based on the VSEPR theory?

• The bond angle of both molecules would be approximately 109.5^o.

• The bonding groups of molecule 1 will eventually orient themselves into a linear shape.

• Molecule 1 will be bent and molecule 2 will be octahedral in shape.

• The lone pair on molecule 2 will give it a pyramidal molecular geometry.

Which of the following molecules would be predicted to have the largest bond angle based on the valence shell electron pair repulsion theory?

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A diagram of the polyatomic ion nitrite is shown above. Based on this diagram, it would be predicted that nitrite would have which of the following molecular geometries?

• Bent at an angle of approximately 109.5^o

• Bent at an angle of approximately 120^o

• Linear with a bond angle of 180^o

• Trigonal pyramidal with bond angles of approximately 109.5^o

Hydrogen selenide (H2Se) is a colorless gas which is both toxic and flammable. The VSEPR theory would predict which of the following molecular geometries for this compound?

• Tetrahedral

• Bent

• Trigonal Pyramidal

• Octahedral

Hydrofluoric acid is shown in the box above. This molecule has a tetrahedral electron geometry with respect to fluoride. What would its molecular geometry be?

• Bent

• Tetrahedral

• Linear

• Trigonal Planar

What shape does the molecule BF₃ have?

• Bent

• Linear

• Tetrahedral

• Trigonal planar