Problem 3F.3c

[nehashetty_2G]

How do you know the arrangement of the H and Cl for a compound like CH2Cl2?

[Ruby Tang 2J]

Generally when there is a carbon atom in the molecule it is in the center. You would arrange H and Cl around it tetrahedrally. It technically does not matter how you arrange the 2 H and 2 Cl atoms around the C atom in the Lewis structure, since in a tetrahedral molecular geometry it is impossible for two atoms to be directly opposite one another -- they will always be 109.5 degrees apart.

[Cooper Baddley 1F]

The arrangement really doesn't matter in this case as all you would need to get from the lewis structure is that there are 4 areas of electron density around the central atom and that would make it have a tetrahedral shape and all the characteristics that come with it.