Answer:
Lone pairs cause more repulsion than bond pairs
Step-by-step explanation:
A lone pair takes up more space around the central atom than bond pairs of electrons. This is because, a lone pair is attracted to only one nucleus while bond pairs are attracted to two nuclei.
Hence the repulsion between lone pairs is far greater than the repulsion between bond pairs or repulsion between a lone pair and a bond pair. The presence of a lone pair therefore distorts a molecule away from the ideal shape predicted on the basis of the valence shell electron pair repulsion theory.
Lone pairs are found to decrease the observed bond angles in a molecule.