Lone pairs

[Hannah_1G]

Do lone pairs not on the center atom account for shape? For example HCN

[105194078]

I don't think so. The way I drew that specific molecule you gave was that I put a triple bond between C and N and the H on the left side of C. I don't think the lone pairs in N account for its shape in this particular example. However, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Abigail Sanders 1E]

Lone pairs not on the central atom do not account for the shape of the central atom. However, lone pairs on an outside atom do account for the electron and molecular structure of that atom.

[Cassandra_1K]

Only the lone pairs on the central atom account for shape!

[Miriam Villarreal 1J]

Only lone pairs present on the central atom are considered when determining shape an dcounting the number of areas with e- density.

[Ashley Kim 3F]

Lone pairs on the central atom account for the electronic arrangement of a molecule and sometimes for the shape of the molecule.

[derinceltik1K]

Lone pairs do count as 1 area of electron density. So with VSEPR you have to consider them. But while just drawing the lewis structure you don't have the account for the affect of the lone pair on other bonds. You just draw it and place the lone pairs. But for electron geometry, lone pairs will push the bonds away, distorting the theoretical bond angle.

[Lauren Stack 1C]

In the VSEPR theory that we use to name molecules, only the electrons associated with the central atom are considered. If you look at the VSEPR formula, which involved A-the central atom, X-number of bonds connected to the central atom, and E- number of lone pairs/a radical on the central atom. Thus, we are not considering lone pairs on other atoms when naming and describing shape using VSEPR.

[Victoria Otuya 4F]

So the lone pairs makes up the shape of a molecule and it is also known to have an electron density. But why is it that it is counted as an electron density if its a lone pair?

[Claire Grover 3G]

Only lone pairs on the central atom count for this!

[AmyL_3L]

Only the lone pairs on the central atom are significant in determining the molecular shape.

[Rishika Yadav 3D]

No, only on the central atom. Lone pairs on the outer atoms d not affect bond positioning with the central atom.

[claribel charway 1I]

the only lone pairs that matter are the ones on the central atom, for example it makes the difference between linear and bent

[005162902]

Lone pairs on the central atom affect molecular shape. Like a bond, they represent a region of electron density on the atom and bend the bonds away from it because of electron repulsion.