Remembering

[Jennifer Torres 2L]

I'm. having a hard time remembering how to determine the VSERP does anyone have any tricks or strategies to remember which go with which?

[jonathanjchang2E]

I don't think you can get away without remembering the names of the different shapes but it is helpful to know the lewis structures and bonds and lone pairs when determining the shape.

[2c_britneyly]

It helps if you start by memorizing the basic models where the central atom is bonded to all atoms, such as octahedral. From there, you can replace each bonding atom with lone pairs of electrons and determine the shape. So for an octahedral, you can replace one bonding atom with a lone pair, and that would give you square pyramidal. If you remove another one, it will give you square planar. The best way to learn these is by organizing them into groups of structures that have the same number of high electron density sites.

[Jessica Castro 2H]

An easy way to do a VSEPR model is to start with the Lewis structures. Don't forget about formal charge. Once you have your designated lone pairs about the central atom, treat them as an area of high electron concentration, then space out all areas of high electron concentration away from each other. As far as the names, you're going to have to memorize them (start with the basic ones, the shape almost always correlates with its name).

[Esther Lee 4H]

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8c/76/d0 ... bf7f24.png

here's a chart I've been using. you probably don't want to rely on it since we won't have it on the test but its been helpful for me to double check my answers with it before looking in the solutions manual

[Alexa_Henrie_1I]

^This chart is super helpful thank you for sharing it!

[Nawaphan Watanasirisuk 3B]

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8c/76/d0/8c76d0df9e1d578b46a2d8fb02bf7f24.png

here's a chart I've been using. you probably don't want to rely on it since we won't have it on the test but its been helpful for me to double check my answers with it before looking in the solutions manual

Thank you so much for sharing!

[Ethan Nishikawa 4D]

Are we expected to remember all of the shapes?

[Alyssa Wilson 2A]

I believe we will only be expected to know the shapes that Dr. Lavelle will cover in the following lectures, I think there are seven or eight shapes we will have to know.