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Resonance Structures and Molecular Shape
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 9:34 pm
by Melanie Krahn 1C
How does molecular shape impact resonance structures? Will resonance structures always have the same shape as one another or are there exceptions?
Re: Resonance Structures and Molecular Shape
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 9:54 pm
by dana hu 1B
hello! no that is not the case. Resonance molecular structure will not always be the same shape.
Re: Resonance Structures and Molecular Shape
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 9:56 pm
by Lauren Mungo 1K
No they will all not necessarily have the same shape. I would assume that you would be asked for the shape of the most stable resonance structure.
Re: Resonance Structures and Molecular Shape
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 10:05 pm
by Alan Huang 1E
It's more so that resonance structures explain molecular shape of a molecule rather than the other way around.
The combination of resonance structures each adds a specific part to the overall resonance hybrid and overall shape of the molecule.
For example, carbonate ion CO3 2- would be predicted to have 2 C-O bonds of one length and a C=O bond of a shorter length.
However, experimentally it's found that all bonds are the same length because of the various resonance structures that add to the hybrid.