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A molecule that has a central atom surrounded by three single bond pairs and one unshared pair would have a ______ shape.

A) T-shaped

B) Tetrahedral

C) Pyramidal

D) Linear

User Tu
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Final answer:

A molecule with three single bond pairs and one unshared pair around a central atom has a trigonal pyramidal shape due to the geometry created by the electron groups, including the influence of the lone pair.

Step-by-step explanation:

A molecule that has a central atom surrounded by three single bond pairs and one unshared pair would have a trigonal pyramidal shape. This is because the molecule has four electron groups around the central atom, with three of these groups being bonding pairs and one being a lone pair, resulting in a molecular geometry that resembles a tetrahedron missing a vertex. The presence of the lone pair influences the molecular geometry, causing the bond angles to be slightly less than the ideal angle of 109.5° due o lone pair-bond pair (LP-BP) repulsions.

User Sadra
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