VSEPR Flashcards: Molecular Geometry & Bond Angles

Practice VSEPR shapes, electron geometry, lone pairs, AXE notation, and ideal bond angles with 78 focused English flashcards.

Um þennan stokk

Practice VSEPR molecular geometry with 78 English flashcards for high-school and introductory-college chemistry. You should already be able to read simple formulas and Lewis structures. This is focused shape prediction and recall, not a complete chemistry course.

Cards map electron-domain counts to electron geometry; AXE notation to molecular shape and, where lone pairs change the shape, to electron geometry; and selected molecular formulas to shape. Separate prompts retrieve ideal bond-angle benchmarks. A few reverse prompts recover AXE notation from a shape plus its domain count. Contrast and error-diagnosis questions distinguish electron geometry from molecular geometry, count multiple bonds correctly, and show why a shape name alone may not determine the domain count or an exact angle.

The 13 cases are AX₂; AX₃ and AX₂E; AX₄, AX₃E, and AX₂E₂; AX₅, AX₄E, AX₃E₂, and AX₂E₃; and AX₆, AX₅E, and AX₄E₂. Later cards cover axial and equatorial sites, usual lone-pair placements, and ideal versus actual angles. The sequence starts with domains and notation, develops two-to-four-domain cases, then interleaves five- and six-domain cases before final comparisons. Related prompts are separated; the review scheduler handles longer-term spacing.

Practice is text based. Diagram identification, exhaustive Lewis-structure construction, formal charges, polarity, radicals, transition-metal coordination, seven-domain cases, hybridization, and molecular-orbital theory are excluded to keep the deck focused. Shape-to-molecule lists and every possible reverse mapping are omitted because many answers would be valid. Numerical species-angle tables are omitted: ideal benchmarks do not give exact measured angles for every molecule.

All cards carry the VSEPR tag. Original questions, answers, organization, and metadata were prepared with AI assistance and checked against university chemistry references. The cover is an original AI-generated illustration of a generic tetrahedral model; its colors do not identify elements. No source prose, diagrams, competitor cards, or examination questions were copied. Common chemical facts are not claimed as proprietary. Original material, including the generated cover to the extent applicable rights exist, is dedicated under CC0 1.0. This is independent study material, with no university, course, or examination endorsement.

Spjöld í þessum stokki

  1. Spjald 1

    Spurning

    In VSEPR, what is an electron domain around a central atom?

    Svar

    A region of electron density: one bond to a neighboring atom, regardless of bond order, or one lone pair.

  2. Spjald 2

    Spurning

    What does the VSEPR model use to predict a central atom’s geometry?

    Svar

    Repulsion between electron domains. The domains favor an arrangement that reduces their mutual repulsion.

  3. Spjald 3

    Spurning

    In AXₙEₘ notation, what does A represent?

    Svar

    The central atom whose local geometry is being described.

  4. Spjald 4

    Spurning

    How do electron geometry and molecular geometry differ in VSEPR?

    Svar

    Electron geometry includes all electron domains. Molecular geometry describes the arrangement of atoms around the central atom, leaving lone pairs out of the shape name.

  5. Spjald 5

    Spurning

    How many VSEPR domains does one triple bond contribute at either bonded atom?

    Svar

    One domain. Three shared electron pairs occupy one bonding direction.

  6. Spjald 6

    Spurning

    In AXₙEₘ notation, what does n count?

    Svar

    Atoms directly bonded to the central atom. A double or triple bond still contributes one X.

  7. Spjald 7

    Spurning

    For a molecule with several central atoms, where do you apply VSEPR?

    Svar

    At each central atom separately, using its own bonded neighbors and lone pairs.

  8. Spjald 8

    Spurning

    In AXₙEₘ notation, what does m count?

    Svar

    Lone pairs on the central atom. E counts pairs, not individual electrons.

  9. Spjald 9

    Spurning

    For an AXₙEₘ center in the usual closed-shell VSEPR model, how many electron domains are present?

    Svar

    n + m domains: bonded neighbors plus lone pairs.

  10. Spjald 10

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₂, with no lone pairs on A?

    Svar

    Linear. The two bonded atoms lie on opposite sides of the central atom.

  11. Spjald 11

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₃, with no lone pairs on A?

    Svar

    Trigonal planar. The central atom and three bonded atoms lie in one plane.

  12. Spjald 12

    Spurning

    In an X–A–X bond angle, at which atom is the angle measured?

    Svar

    At A, the central atom, between the two bonds to X atoms.

  13. Spjald 13

    Spurning

    Does a lone pair count as one VSEPR domain or two?

    Svar

    One domain. The pair contains two electrons, but it occupies one region around the central atom.

  14. Spjald 14

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₄, with no lone pairs on A?

    Svar

    Tetrahedral. The four bonded atoms occupy the corners of a tetrahedron around A.

  15. Spjald 15

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₂E?

    Svar

    Bent, also called angular or V-shaped. There are two bonded atoms and one lone pair around A.

  16. Spjald 16

    Spurning

    What is the ideal X–A–X bond angle in AX₂ with no lone pairs?

    Svar

    180°.

  17. Spjald 17

    Spurning

    What electron geometry does VSEPR assign to three domains around a central atom?

    Svar

    Trigonal planar.

  18. Spjald 18

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₃E?

    Svar

    Trigonal pyramidal. Three bonded atoms and one lone pair occupy four electron domains.

  19. Spjald 19

    Spurning

    What is the ideal X–A–X bond angle in tetrahedral AX₄?

    Svar

    About 109.5°.

  20. Spjald 20

    Spurning

    A central atom has two bonded neighbors and two lone pairs. What is its AXE notation?

    Svar

    AX₂E₂.

  21. Spjald 21

    Spurning

    What is the ideal X–A–X bond angle in trigonal planar AX₃?

    Svar

    120°.

  22. Spjald 22

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₂E₂?

    Svar

    Bent, also called angular or V-shaped. Two lone pairs occupy the other two domains.

  23. Spjald 23

    Spurning

    What is the electron geometry around A in AX₃E?

    Svar

    Tetrahedral: three bonding domains plus one lone-pair domain.

  24. Spjald 24

    Spurning

    In O=C=O, how many electron domains surround carbon?

    Svar

    Two domains. Each C=O double bond counts once.

  25. Spjald 25

    Spurning

    What is the electron geometry around A in AX₂E?

    Svar

    Trigonal planar: two bonding domains plus one lone-pair domain.

  26. Spjald 26

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict around carbon in CH₄?

    Svar

    Tetrahedral. Carbon has four bonded neighbors and no lone pairs.

  27. Spjald 27

    Spurning

    A learner counts a double bond as two VSEPR domains. What should they correct?

    Svar

    Count it as one domain. Bond order changes the number of shared electrons, not the number of bonded directions.

  28. Spjald 28

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict around nitrogen in NH₃?

    Svar

    Trigonal pyramidal. Nitrogen has three bonded neighbors and one lone pair.

  29. Spjald 29

    Spurning

    What electron geometry does VSEPR assign to four domains around a central atom?

    Svar

    Tetrahedral.

  30. Spjald 30

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict around oxygen in H₂O?

    Svar

    Bent. Oxygen has two bonded neighbors and two lone pairs.

  31. Spjald 31

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict around carbon in the carbonate ion, CO₃²⁻?

    Svar

    Trigonal planar. The three C–O bonding directions give three domains, even when a Lewis structure shows one double bond.

  32. Spjald 32

    Spurning

    In the simple VSEPR model, how does a central lone pair usually affect neighboring bond angles?

    Svar

    It tends to compress nearby bond angles because its electron density occupies more space near the central atom. This is a qualitative tendency, not a fixed number of degrees.

  33. Spjald 33

    Spurning

    A VSEPR center is trigonal pyramidal with four total domains. What is its AXE notation?

    Svar

    AX₃E: three bonded atoms and one lone pair.

  34. Spjald 34

    Spurning

    Which two common AXE cases give a bent molecular shape with three or four total domains?

    Svar

    AX₂E with three domains, and AX₂E₂ with four domains. Their electron geometries differ.

  35. Spjald 35

    Spurning

    What electron geometry does VSEPR assign to five domains around a central atom?

    Svar

    Trigonal bipyramidal.

  36. Spjald 36

    Spurning

    What electron geometry does VSEPR assign to six domains around a central atom?

    Svar

    Octahedral.

  37. Spjald 37

    Spurning

    Does an ideal VSEPR angle give the exact measured angle in every molecule of that shape?

    Svar

    No. It is a geometric benchmark; lone pairs and the bonding environment can change actual angles.

  38. Spjald 38

    Spurning

    How many axial and equatorial positions are in a trigonal bipyramid?

    Svar

    Two axial positions and three equatorial positions.

  39. Spjald 39

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₅, with no lone pairs on A?

    Svar

    Trigonal bipyramidal.

  40. Spjald 40

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₆, with no lone pairs on A?

    Svar

    Octahedral.

  41. Spjald 41

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₄E in the usual lowest-repulsion arrangement?

    Svar

    Seesaw. The lone pair occupies an equatorial position in a trigonal-bipyramidal domain arrangement.

  42. Spjald 42

    Spurning

    In an ideal trigonal bipyramid, what is the angle between two equatorial bonds?

    Svar

    120°.

  43. Spjald 43

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₃E₂ in the usual lowest-repulsion arrangement?

    Svar

    T-shaped. Both lone pairs occupy equatorial positions.

  44. Spjald 44

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₅E?

    Svar

    Square pyramidal. One lone pair occupies the sixth position of an octahedral domain arrangement.

  45. Spjald 45

    Spurning

    In an ideal trigonal bipyramid, what is the angle between an axial bond and an equatorial bond?

    Svar

    90°.

  46. Spjald 46

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₂E₃ in the usual lowest-repulsion arrangement?

    Svar

    Linear. Three equatorial lone pairs leave the two bonded atoms in opposite axial positions.

  47. Spjald 47

    Spurning

    VSEPR molecular shape of AX₄E₂ in the usual lowest-repulsion arrangement?

    Svar

    Square planar. Two opposite lone pairs leave four bonded atoms in a square around A.

  48. Spjald 48

    Spurning

    In a trigonal-bipyramidal domain arrangement, which sites do lone pairs preferentially occupy?

    Svar

    Equatorial sites, in the usual VSEPR arrangements with one to three lone pairs.

  49. Spjald 49

    Spurning

    Which X–A–X angles occur in an ideal octahedral AX₆ molecule?

    Svar

    90° between adjacent bonds and 180° between opposite bonds.

  50. Spjald 50

    Spurning

    A VSEPR center has a seesaw shape and five total domains. What is its AXE notation?

    Svar

    AX₄E.

  51. Spjald 51

    Spurning

    A VSEPR center has a T-shaped molecular geometry and five total domains. What is its AXE notation?

    Svar

    AX₃E₂.

  52. Spjald 52

    Spurning

    In an ideal trigonal bipyramid, what is the angle between its two axial bonds?

    Svar

    180°. The axial positions lie on opposite sides of the central atom.

  53. Spjald 53

    Spurning

    A VSEPR center is square pyramidal with six total domains. What is its AXE notation?

    Svar

    AX₅E.

  54. Spjald 54

    Spurning

    In the usual octahedral AX₄E₂ arrangement, how are the two lone pairs positioned relative to each other?

    Svar

    Opposite each other, 180° apart in the ideal domain arrangement.

  55. Spjald 55

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated SF₄ molecule?

    Svar

    Seesaw. Sulfur has four bonded fluorine atoms and one lone pair.

  56. Spjald 56

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated XeF₂ molecule?

    Svar

    Linear. Xenon has two bonded fluorine atoms and three lone pairs.

  57. Spjald 57

    Spurning

    What is the electron geometry around A in AX₃E₂?

    Svar

    Trigonal bipyramidal: three bonding domains plus two lone-pair domains.

  58. Spjald 58

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated BrF₅ molecule?

    Svar

    Square pyramidal. Bromine has five bonded fluorine atoms and one lone pair.

  59. Spjald 59

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated XeF₄ molecule?

    Svar

    Square planar. Xenon has four bonded fluorine atoms and two opposite lone pairs.

  60. Spjald 60

    Spurning

    What is the electron geometry around A in AX₄E?

    Svar

    Trigonal bipyramidal: four bonding domains plus one lone-pair domain.

  61. Spjald 61

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated ClF₃ molecule?

    Svar

    T-shaped. Chlorine has three bonded fluorine atoms and two equatorial lone pairs.

  62. Spjald 62

    Spurning

    What is the electron geometry around A in AX₅E?

    Svar

    Octahedral: five bonding domains plus one lone-pair domain.

  63. Spjald 63

    Spurning

    What is the electron geometry around A in AX₂E₃?

    Svar

    Trigonal bipyramidal: two bonding domains plus three lone-pair domains.

  64. Spjald 64

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated SF₆ molecule?

    Svar

    Octahedral. Sulfur has six bonded fluorine atoms and no lone pairs.

  65. Spjald 65

    Spurning

    Which bond angles occur in an idealized T-shaped AX₃E₂ arrangement?

    Svar

    90° and 180°. These are parent-geometry benchmarks; a real molecule can be distorted.

  66. Spjald 66

    Spurning

    What is the electron geometry around A in AX₄E₂?

    Svar

    Octahedral: four bonding domains plus two lone-pair domains.

  67. Spjald 67

    Spurning

    Why does an octahedral VSEPR arrangement have six domains despite the name’s reference to eight?

    Svar

    The six domains point toward the six vertices of an octahedron. Eight refers to the solid’s faces.

  68. Spjald 68

    Spurning

    Why does a lone pair in AX₄E favor an equatorial site over an axial site?

    Svar

    An equatorial site has two 90° interactions with other domains; an axial site has three. The equatorial choice reduces these close repulsions.

  69. Spjald 69

    Spurning

    Which common AXE cases give a linear molecular shape with two or five total domains?

    Svar

    AX₂ with two domains, and AX₂E₃ with five domains. A linear shape alone does not determine the electron geometry.

  70. Spjald 70

    Spurning

    Which bond angles occur in an idealized square-pyramidal AX₅E arrangement?

    Svar

    90° and 180°. Actual angles can deviate from these octahedral parent benchmarks.

  71. Spjald 71

    Spurning

    A VSEPR center is square planar with six total domains. What is its AXE notation?

    Svar

    AX₄E₂.

  72. Spjald 72

    Spurning

    A learner assigns every bent molecule the same bond angle. What information are they missing?

    Svar

    The electron-domain arrangement and the particular molecule. Bent includes AX₂E and AX₂E₂, and actual angles depend on the species.

  73. Spjald 73

    Spurning

    A learner calls NH₃ tetrahedral because nitrogen has four domains. What shape distinction resolves the error?

    Svar

    Tetrahedral is its electron geometry. Its molecular geometry is trigonal pyramidal because only the three bonded atoms define that shape.

  74. Spjald 74

    Spurning

    Why can four bonded atoms give tetrahedral AX₄ but square planar AX₄E₂?

    Svar

    AX₄ has four total domains. AX₄E₂ has six total domains, with two opposite lone pairs in an octahedral arrangement.

  75. Spjald 75

    Spurning

    Which ideal parent angles are the benchmarks for an AX₄E seesaw arrangement?

    Svar

    90°, 120°, and 180° from trigonal-bipyramidal electron geometry. Lone-pair repulsion can distort the actual bond angles.

  76. Spjald 76

    Spurning

    What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated PF₅ molecule?

    Svar

    Trigonal bipyramidal. Phosphorus has five bonded fluorine atoms and no lone pairs.

  77. Spjald 77

    Spurning

    What is the electron geometry around A in AX₂E₂?

    Svar

    Tetrahedral: two bonding domains plus two lone-pair domains.

  78. Spjald 78

    Spurning

    Which X–A–X bond angles occur in an ideal square-planar AX₄E₂ arrangement?

    Svar

    90° between adjacent bonds and 180° between opposite bonds.

A generic tetrahedral ball-and-stick model with an orange center and four teal neighbors against a dark blue background.

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VSEPR Flashcards: Molecular Geometry & Bond Angles

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