Final answer:
VSEPR stands for Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion, a model that predicts the shape of molecules based on the repulsion between electron pairs in the valence shell of an atom.
Step-by-step explanation:
VSEPR stands for Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion. This is a model used in chemistry to predict the shape of molecules. According to VSEPR theory, the arrangement of electron pairs in the valence shell of an atom is such that they are spaced as far apart as possible to minimize repulsion between them. This repulsion arises because electrons are negatively charged and therefore repel each other. Molecules are classified by the number of bonding and nonbonding electron pairs around the central atom.
The VSEPR model assumes that electron pairs will repel one another, and the shape of the molecule adjusts so these valence electron pairs are as distant from each other as can be. Whether a molecule has single, double, or triple bonds, in terms of repulsion, they are treated the same.
Thus, VSEPR theory not only considers electron-pair repulsions but also other interactions like nuclear-nuclear repulsions and nuclear-electron attractions, which all play a role in determining the final geometrical structure of a molecule.