Can Lewis structures predict the shape of a molecule?
1 Answer
Sep 16, 2015
Lewis structures do not predict the shape of a molecule.
Explanation:
They show only the connectivity of the atoms, that is, which atoms are connected to which.
But they are the starting point for predicting the shape of the molecule.
Once you have the Lewis structure, you can use VSEPR theory to predict the shape.
The diagram below shows some Lewis structures and their corresponding molecular shapes.
