NH3 and CH4 "geometric arrangments"

[DieselPetrolGrl]

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"geometric arrangments"
Shouldn?t they both be tetrahedral?
Why is NH3 pyramidal..it has one lone pair that should make it repulsive till its shaped like methane?
DAMN NON CONFORMIST..someone clarify..thank you

 

[BisMuOxo]

When discussing the geometric arrangement of atoms, do not considder the lone pair as a group contributing to geometry (other than the fact that it forces the hydrogens closer together). Methane is therefore tetrahedral, and ammonia is (when you ignore the lone pair) shaped like a trigonal pyramid.

 

[liverotcod]

They both have tetrahedral electronic arrangements - that is, when you consider electron clouds they both have 4 = tetrahedral. But geometry refers only to actual atoms, so NH3 is trigonal pyramidal.

Edit: So, for example, water has a "bent" geometry, but a tetrahedral electronic arrangement.

 

[JDAD]

👍 👍 👍

They both have tetrahedral electronic arrangements - that is, when you consider electron clouds they both have 4 = tetrahedral. But geometry refers only to actual atoms, so NH3 is trigonal pyramidal.