VSEPR Flashcards: Molecular Geometry & Bond Angles
Practice VSEPR shapes, electron geometry, lone pairs, AXE notation, and ideal bond angles with 78 focused English flashcards.
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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.
Kaarten in dit deck
Kaart 1
Vraag
In VSEPR, what is an electron domain around a central atom?
Antwoord
A region of electron density: one bond to a neighboring atom, regardless of bond order, or one lone pair.
Kaart 2
Vraag
What does the VSEPR model use to predict a central atom’s geometry?
Antwoord
Repulsion between electron domains. The domains favor an arrangement that reduces their mutual repulsion.
Kaart 3
Vraag
In AXₙEₘ notation, what does A represent?
Antwoord
The central atom whose local geometry is being described.
Kaart 4
Vraag
How do electron geometry and molecular geometry differ in VSEPR?
Antwoord
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.
Kaart 5
Vraag
How many VSEPR domains does one triple bond contribute at either bonded atom?
Antwoord
One domain. Three shared electron pairs occupy one bonding direction.
Kaart 6
Vraag
In AXₙEₘ notation, what does n count?
Antwoord
Atoms directly bonded to the central atom. A double or triple bond still contributes one X.
Kaart 7
Vraag
For a molecule with several central atoms, where do you apply VSEPR?
Antwoord
At each central atom separately, using its own bonded neighbors and lone pairs.
Kaart 8
Vraag
In AXₙEₘ notation, what does m count?
Antwoord
Lone pairs on the central atom. E counts pairs, not individual electrons.
Kaart 9
Vraag
For an AXₙEₘ center in the usual closed-shell VSEPR model, how many electron domains are present?
Antwoord
n + m domains: bonded neighbors plus lone pairs.
Kaart 10
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₂, with no lone pairs on A?
Antwoord
Linear. The two bonded atoms lie on opposite sides of the central atom.
Kaart 11
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₃, with no lone pairs on A?
Antwoord
Trigonal planar. The central atom and three bonded atoms lie in one plane.
Kaart 12
Vraag
In an X–A–X bond angle, at which atom is the angle measured?
Antwoord
At A, the central atom, between the two bonds to X atoms.
Kaart 13
Vraag
Does a lone pair count as one VSEPR domain or two?
Antwoord
One domain. The pair contains two electrons, but it occupies one region around the central atom.
Kaart 14
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₄, with no lone pairs on A?
Antwoord
Tetrahedral. The four bonded atoms occupy the corners of a tetrahedron around A.
Kaart 15
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₂E?
Antwoord
Bent, also called angular or V-shaped. There are two bonded atoms and one lone pair around A.
Kaart 16
Vraag
What is the ideal X–A–X bond angle in AX₂ with no lone pairs?
Antwoord
180°.
Kaart 17
Vraag
What electron geometry does VSEPR assign to three domains around a central atom?
Antwoord
Trigonal planar.
Kaart 18
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₃E?
Antwoord
Trigonal pyramidal. Three bonded atoms and one lone pair occupy four electron domains.
Kaart 19
Vraag
What is the ideal X–A–X bond angle in tetrahedral AX₄?
Antwoord
About 109.5°.
Kaart 20
Vraag
A central atom has two bonded neighbors and two lone pairs. What is its AXE notation?
Antwoord
AX₂E₂.
Kaart 21
Vraag
What is the ideal X–A–X bond angle in trigonal planar AX₃?
Antwoord
120°.
Kaart 22
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₂E₂?
Antwoord
Bent, also called angular or V-shaped. Two lone pairs occupy the other two domains.
Kaart 23
Vraag
What is the electron geometry around A in AX₃E?
Antwoord
Tetrahedral: three bonding domains plus one lone-pair domain.
Kaart 24
Vraag
In O=C=O, how many electron domains surround carbon?
Antwoord
Two domains. Each C=O double bond counts once.
Kaart 25
Vraag
What is the electron geometry around A in AX₂E?
Antwoord
Trigonal planar: two bonding domains plus one lone-pair domain.
Kaart 26
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict around carbon in CH₄?
Antwoord
Tetrahedral. Carbon has four bonded neighbors and no lone pairs.
Kaart 27
Vraag
A learner counts a double bond as two VSEPR domains. What should they correct?
Antwoord
Count it as one domain. Bond order changes the number of shared electrons, not the number of bonded directions.
Kaart 28
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict around nitrogen in NH₃?
Antwoord
Trigonal pyramidal. Nitrogen has three bonded neighbors and one lone pair.
Kaart 29
Vraag
What electron geometry does VSEPR assign to four domains around a central atom?
Antwoord
Tetrahedral.
Kaart 30
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict around oxygen in H₂O?
Antwoord
Bent. Oxygen has two bonded neighbors and two lone pairs.
Kaart 31
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict around carbon in the carbonate ion, CO₃²⁻?
Antwoord
Trigonal planar. The three C–O bonding directions give three domains, even when a Lewis structure shows one double bond.
Kaart 32
Vraag
In the simple VSEPR model, how does a central lone pair usually affect neighboring bond angles?
Antwoord
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.
Kaart 33
Vraag
A VSEPR center is trigonal pyramidal with four total domains. What is its AXE notation?
Antwoord
AX₃E: three bonded atoms and one lone pair.
Kaart 34
Vraag
Which two common AXE cases give a bent molecular shape with three or four total domains?
Antwoord
AX₂E with three domains, and AX₂E₂ with four domains. Their electron geometries differ.
Kaart 35
Vraag
What electron geometry does VSEPR assign to five domains around a central atom?
Antwoord
Trigonal bipyramidal.
Kaart 36
Vraag
What electron geometry does VSEPR assign to six domains around a central atom?
Antwoord
Octahedral.
Kaart 37
Vraag
Does an ideal VSEPR angle give the exact measured angle in every molecule of that shape?
Antwoord
No. It is a geometric benchmark; lone pairs and the bonding environment can change actual angles.
Kaart 38
Vraag
How many axial and equatorial positions are in a trigonal bipyramid?
Antwoord
Two axial positions and three equatorial positions.
Kaart 39
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₅, with no lone pairs on A?
Antwoord
Trigonal bipyramidal.
Kaart 40
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₆, with no lone pairs on A?
Antwoord
Octahedral.
Kaart 41
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₄E in the usual lowest-repulsion arrangement?
Antwoord
Seesaw. The lone pair occupies an equatorial position in a trigonal-bipyramidal domain arrangement.
Kaart 42
Vraag
In an ideal trigonal bipyramid, what is the angle between two equatorial bonds?
Antwoord
120°.
Kaart 43
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₃E₂ in the usual lowest-repulsion arrangement?
Antwoord
T-shaped. Both lone pairs occupy equatorial positions.
Kaart 44
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₅E?
Antwoord
Square pyramidal. One lone pair occupies the sixth position of an octahedral domain arrangement.
Kaart 45
Vraag
In an ideal trigonal bipyramid, what is the angle between an axial bond and an equatorial bond?
Antwoord
90°.
Kaart 46
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₂E₃ in the usual lowest-repulsion arrangement?
Antwoord
Linear. Three equatorial lone pairs leave the two bonded atoms in opposite axial positions.
Kaart 47
Vraag
VSEPR molecular shape of AX₄E₂ in the usual lowest-repulsion arrangement?
Antwoord
Square planar. Two opposite lone pairs leave four bonded atoms in a square around A.
Kaart 48
Vraag
In a trigonal-bipyramidal domain arrangement, which sites do lone pairs preferentially occupy?
Antwoord
Equatorial sites, in the usual VSEPR arrangements with one to three lone pairs.
Kaart 49
Vraag
Which X–A–X angles occur in an ideal octahedral AX₆ molecule?
Antwoord
90° between adjacent bonds and 180° between opposite bonds.
Kaart 50
Vraag
A VSEPR center has a seesaw shape and five total domains. What is its AXE notation?
Antwoord
AX₄E.
Kaart 51
Vraag
A VSEPR center has a T-shaped molecular geometry and five total domains. What is its AXE notation?
Antwoord
AX₃E₂.
Kaart 52
Vraag
In an ideal trigonal bipyramid, what is the angle between its two axial bonds?
Antwoord
180°. The axial positions lie on opposite sides of the central atom.
Kaart 53
Vraag
A VSEPR center is square pyramidal with six total domains. What is its AXE notation?
Antwoord
AX₅E.
Kaart 54
Vraag
In the usual octahedral AX₄E₂ arrangement, how are the two lone pairs positioned relative to each other?
Antwoord
Opposite each other, 180° apart in the ideal domain arrangement.
Kaart 55
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated SF₄ molecule?
Antwoord
Seesaw. Sulfur has four bonded fluorine atoms and one lone pair.
Kaart 56
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated XeF₂ molecule?
Antwoord
Linear. Xenon has two bonded fluorine atoms and three lone pairs.
Kaart 57
Vraag
What is the electron geometry around A in AX₃E₂?
Antwoord
Trigonal bipyramidal: three bonding domains plus two lone-pair domains.
Kaart 58
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated BrF₅ molecule?
Antwoord
Square pyramidal. Bromine has five bonded fluorine atoms and one lone pair.
Kaart 59
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated XeF₄ molecule?
Antwoord
Square planar. Xenon has four bonded fluorine atoms and two opposite lone pairs.
Kaart 60
Vraag
What is the electron geometry around A in AX₄E?
Antwoord
Trigonal bipyramidal: four bonding domains plus one lone-pair domain.
Kaart 61
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated ClF₃ molecule?
Antwoord
T-shaped. Chlorine has three bonded fluorine atoms and two equatorial lone pairs.
Kaart 62
Vraag
What is the electron geometry around A in AX₅E?
Antwoord
Octahedral: five bonding domains plus one lone-pair domain.
Kaart 63
Vraag
What is the electron geometry around A in AX₂E₃?
Antwoord
Trigonal bipyramidal: two bonding domains plus three lone-pair domains.
Kaart 64
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated SF₆ molecule?
Antwoord
Octahedral. Sulfur has six bonded fluorine atoms and no lone pairs.
Kaart 65
Vraag
Which bond angles occur in an idealized T-shaped AX₃E₂ arrangement?
Antwoord
90° and 180°. These are parent-geometry benchmarks; a real molecule can be distorted.
Kaart 66
Vraag
What is the electron geometry around A in AX₄E₂?
Antwoord
Octahedral: four bonding domains plus two lone-pair domains.
Kaart 67
Vraag
Why does an octahedral VSEPR arrangement have six domains despite the name’s reference to eight?
Antwoord
The six domains point toward the six vertices of an octahedron. Eight refers to the solid’s faces.
Kaart 68
Vraag
Why does a lone pair in AX₄E favor an equatorial site over an axial site?
Antwoord
An equatorial site has two 90° interactions with other domains; an axial site has three. The equatorial choice reduces these close repulsions.
Kaart 69
Vraag
Which common AXE cases give a linear molecular shape with two or five total domains?
Antwoord
AX₂ with two domains, and AX₂E₃ with five domains. A linear shape alone does not determine the electron geometry.
Kaart 70
Vraag
Which bond angles occur in an idealized square-pyramidal AX₅E arrangement?
Antwoord
90° and 180°. Actual angles can deviate from these octahedral parent benchmarks.
Kaart 71
Vraag
A VSEPR center is square planar with six total domains. What is its AXE notation?
Antwoord
AX₄E₂.
Kaart 72
Vraag
A learner assigns every bent molecule the same bond angle. What information are they missing?
Antwoord
The electron-domain arrangement and the particular molecule. Bent includes AX₂E and AX₂E₂, and actual angles depend on the species.
Kaart 73
Vraag
A learner calls NH₃ tetrahedral because nitrogen has four domains. What shape distinction resolves the error?
Antwoord
Tetrahedral is its electron geometry. Its molecular geometry is trigonal pyramidal because only the three bonded atoms define that shape.
Kaart 74
Vraag
Why can four bonded atoms give tetrahedral AX₄ but square planar AX₄E₂?
Antwoord
AX₄ has four total domains. AX₄E₂ has six total domains, with two opposite lone pairs in an octahedral arrangement.
Kaart 75
Vraag
Which ideal parent angles are the benchmarks for an AX₄E seesaw arrangement?
Antwoord
90°, 120°, and 180° from trigonal-bipyramidal electron geometry. Lone-pair repulsion can distort the actual bond angles.
Kaart 76
Vraag
What molecular shape does VSEPR predict for an isolated PF₅ molecule?
Antwoord
Trigonal bipyramidal. Phosphorus has five bonded fluorine atoms and no lone pairs.
Kaart 77
Vraag
What is the electron geometry around A in AX₂E₂?
Antwoord
Tetrahedral: two bonding domains plus two lone-pair domains.
Kaart 78
Vraag
Which X–A–X bond angles occur in an ideal square-planar AX₄E₂ arrangement?
Antwoord
90° between adjacent bonds and 180° between opposite bonds.
78 kaarten
VSEPR Flashcards: Molecular Geometry & Bond Angles
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