what is the closest bond angle around the central atom?
what is the closest bond angle around the central atom?
Answer
Explanation:
Step1: Determine the electron - pair geometry
The central atom As has 4 bonding pairs (with H atoms) and 1 lone pair. The electron - pair geometry is trigonal bipyramidal. But for molecular geometry (considering only bonding pairs), it is pyramidal. However, when calculating the bond angle, we consider the VSEPR theory. For a molecule with 4 bonding pairs and 1 lone pair around the central atom, the bond angle is close to (109.5^{\circ}) (because the lone pair - bond pair repulsion is less than in some other cases and it is similar to the basic tetrahedral - like arrangement in terms of bond angle approximation for such a (AX_3E) (A - central atom, X - surrounding atom, E - lone pair) type molecule).
Answer:
109.5°