Steric Strain

[priyasihota3c]

Why do atoms purposely bump into each other in steric strain?

[hannaluong4E]

I don't think they purposely bump into each other, just that the atoms are too close and are physically trying to occupy the same space, and this leads them to bump each other.

[Caleb Lim 2M]

Could someone explain torsional strain and how it applies to the shape of a molecule? How should we refer to it when in a question?

[704784857]

When rotating a molecule around a bond, the torsional strain is the repulsion caused by the electrons in between different groups when they pass by each other. In reference to the steric strain, the different between the two strains is that the torsional strain can be relieved by bond rotations whereas the steric strain cannot.