CHEMISTRY COMMUNITY

For question 4.1 there is a linear molecule with an angle of 180 degrees. There question asks if there must be, may be, or cannot be one or more lone pairs of electrons on the central atom. I thought the answer would be there cannot be because it is linear, but the solutions manual said their may be. Why is that? I thought the lone pairs caused a bend in the molecule.

Thank you.

One example of a linear shape having lone pairs is when the geometry is trigonal bipyramidal. Typically, this geometry involves 5 bonding pairs. But, if we have 3 lone pairs and 2 bonding pairs, the shape is linear, because the bonding pairs will be at 180 degrees from each other. Two molecules that exhibit this shape are XeF2 and I3- . Hope that helps!