Which of the following is the correct angle between the atoms in a seesaw molecule?
A. <90o, <120o
B. <180o
C. 270o
D. 360o
A.
To determine the correct angle between atoms in a seesaw molecule, you need to understand the molecular geometry of a seesaw molecule and its bond angles.
A seesaw molecule is a type of molecular geometry where a central atom is surrounded by four other atoms, with one lone pair of electrons on the central atom. This lone pair of electrons causes distortion in the molecule, resulting in unequal bond angles.
To find the bond angles in a seesaw molecule, you need to know the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory, which states that electron pairs (either bonding or lone pairs) repel each other and try to be as far apart as possible to minimize repulsion.
In a seesaw molecule, the bond angles will have different measures. The three outer atoms will form a "trigonal plane" around the central atom, with bond angles close to 120 degrees. The remaining bond angle between one of the outer atoms and the central atom will be less than 120 degrees due to the repulsion from the lone pair of electrons.
Option A, which states <90o and <120o, is the correct angle for a seesaw molecule. The angle between the atom attached to the lone pair and the central atom will be less than 120 degrees, while the bond angles between the three outer atoms and the central atom will be close to 120 degrees.