- #1
Puchinita5
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Homework Statement
i'm confused as to why a molecule with 3 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs takes on a t-shape rather than a trigonal planar shape.
My notes say that this is because in a t-shape, there are less 90 degree angles between the lone pairs and the bonding pairs than in a trigonal planar shape. However, i thought that the repulsion between lone pairs was greater than repulsion between lone-bonding pairs, so i would have expected the lone pair electrons would want to get as far away from each other more so than they would want to get away from the bonding electrons, and in trigonal planar they are as far away as possible from each other.