Explain why compunds can have same electron cloud geometry b

Explain why compunds can have same electron cloud geometry but different molecular geometries.

Solution

VSEPR : Valence shell electron pair repulsion theory tells us how electron clouds orient themselves around the central atom. The main point is that electron\'s are negatively charged and thus will repel to be as far away from each other as possible. You first need to draw a valid Lewis dot structure and then apply VSEPR theory to determine the geometry around the central atom. Most books refer to the number of charge clouds as the \"steric number\" of the central atom. I will call them charge clouds since that\'s what you seem familiar with.