BRAINCAKEPolyatomic ions.
The shapes of polyatomic ions are predicted in the same way as molecules, by counting the regions of electron density around the central atom. A double bond counts as one region.
The carbonate ion CO32- and the nitrate ion NO3- each have three bonding regions and no lone pairs on the central atom. They are trigonal planar with bond angles of 120°.
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Key terms in this lesson
- Ion
- A positively or negatively charged atom or group of atoms, formed by the loss or gain of electrons.
More in Shapes and Intermolecular Forces
- Electron Pair Repulsion Theory
- Three and Four Electron Pairs
- BF3 and SF6 and PCl5
- More examples.
- Electronegativity
- Bond Polarity
- Polar Solvents and Solubility
- Induced Dipole-Dipole Interactions (London Forces)
All 13 lessons in Shapes and Intermolecular Forces · All OCR AS-level Chemistry topics