About the shape of covalent compound

[dttom]

My teacher told me that the shape of H2O is V-shape because the six outhermost e- will be divide into four group, the two group with only one e- will link to 2 H atom. The two H atoms are just like the angles of the base and the O atom locate at the top of the pyramid. Then my question is, if theouthermost e- can be divided into 4 groups, will atoms inside always link in a structure like a square-based pyramid? For example, carbon, there're 4 outhermost e-, can I divide those 4 e- into 4 groups, each group has one e-, is the carbon atoms inside a diamond are always linked like a square-based pyramid? When I view the structure of diamond, it doesn't seem to be... Then what's the principle for linking atoms?

[woelen]

My teacher told me that the shape of H2O is V-shape because the six outhermost e- will be divide into four group, the two group with only one e- will link to 2 H atom. The two H atoms are just like the angles of the base and the O atom locate at the top of the pyramid. Then my question is, if theouthermost e- can be divided into 4 groups, will atoms inside always link in a structure like a square-based pyramid? For example, carbon, there're 4 outhermost e-, can I divide those 4 e- into 4 groups, each group has one e-, is the carbon atoms inside a diamond are always linked like a square-based pyramid? When I view the structure of diamond, it doesn't seem to be... Then what's the principle for linking atoms?

This question is not easy to answer at all. How atoms are arranged around each other depends on the number of electrons, the level of hybridization and the presence of lone pairs.

 

For methane, CH4, the four H-atoms are at the vertices of a regular tetrahedron (think of a pyramid, but with a triangular base). In methane, all orbitals of the C-atom are [math]sp^3[/math] hybridized, making essentially four equal bonds. That is precisely what you see in the tetrahedral CH4 molecule, all H-atoms are equivalent.

 

If you really want to understand the subject, then I would like to suggest you to read something about orbitals, molecular orbitals, hybridization. As a first start, some basic quantum mechanics is needed.

[dttom]

Can you suggest some related web sites?

[The Thing]

WIKIPEDIA!!!!!11!1 is teh r0xx0rzz!!!1!1!11

I know in Canada, your chem 11 or 12 book would have a chapter on orbitals and stuff, hybridization, covalent (sigma and pi) boning, and the shapes of covalent bonding (linear, trigonal planar, tetrahedral etc) which you seek. I dunno about in the states or wherever you're from (doesn't say in the profile). But I'd still go with wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecular_orbital

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_orbital

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_hybridization

More you can search in wikipedia.

[dttom]

Thanks for your websites first. The suggested books seem to be quite interesting, but sadly, I'm in Hong Kong, not Canada, so, may be it's a bit hard for me to find the books...

[akcapr]

Dont catch that bird flu