Name Of Shapes for different Molecules - Chemistry?

Question

Can someone explain how to name shapes (ex: trigonal planar, trigonal pyramidal, octahedral, V shaped bent)
for molecules?)

Like ClF3 or SO2 or OF2?
(This is for gr12 chemistry)

Answer 1

Depends on how many things are bonded to the central atom as well as how many lone pairs are present.

Simple diatiomic molecule is linear.
2 electron pairs - linear
3 electron pairs- no lone pairs is trigonal planar, 1 lone pair is bent
4 electron pairs - no lone pairs is tetrahedral, 1 lone pair is trigonal pyramidal, 2 lone pairs is bent
5 electron pairs - no lone pairs is trigonal bipyramidal, 1 lone pair is see-saw, 2 lone pairs is T-shape, 3 lone pairs is linear
6 electron pairs - no lone pairs is octahedral, 1 lone pair is square pyramidal, 2 lone pairs is square planar.

Answer 2

SF2 BF3 BEC12 CH4 NH3 H2O PCI5

Answer 3

Try Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ClF3

Answer 4

bent shapes, tetraheral, v. shape