UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
NOTE: The correct answer(s) for each question are written/drawn in red.
1. Draw a perspective diagram showing the molecular shape of each of the following molecules.
(a) CO2
(linear)
(b) SO2
(bent)
(c) XeO2
(bent)
(d) SF2
(bent)
(e) XeF2
(linear)
The lone pairs and multiple bonds are usually shown in this answer key. It is acceptable to draw a
perspective drawing without showing lone pairs. In particular, for (e), the electron pairs are shown for
teaching purposes only.
2. All of the chemical species below have central atoms bonded to four other atoms. Which of the following
species have a regular tetrahedral geometry?
(A) [NH4]+
(B) [BrF4]–
(C) [BH4]–
(D) SeF4
(E) [IF4]+
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
3. Which of the following species has a trigonal pyramidal molecular shape?
(A) [ClO4]–
(B) [ClO3]–
(C) [ClO2]–
(D) ClO2
(E) Cl2O
4. Identify the parent shape and molecular shape of each of the following species:
Parent Shape Molecular Shape
(a) IF5 Octahedral Square pyramidal
(b) AsF5 Trigonal bipyramidal Trigonal bipyramidal
(c) [ClO3]— Tetrahedral Trigonal pyramidal
(d) [CO3]2— Trigonal planar Trigonal planar
(e) CH2O Trigonal planar Trigonal planar
5. In completing the table below, consider only neutral fluoride molecules whose formulae are of the form XFn in
which X is either hydrogen or an element from the third row of the periodic table, and n represents a variable
integer number of fluorine atoms.
Give the formula of a fluoride molecule that: Formula
is octahedral in shape. SF6
is trigonal bipyramidal in shape. PF5
is T-shaped. ClF3
is trigonal pyramidal in shape. PF3
is seesaw in shape. SF4
is tetrahedral in shape. SiF4
is an ionic solid involving only singly-charged ions. NaF
6. What are the approximate bond angles of those indicated in the structure of hydroflumethiazide, an anti-
anxiety drug?
(a) 120°
(b) 109.5°
(c) 109.5°
(d) 120°
(e) 109.5°
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
7. Complete the table with the structural information for each species. Draw the best Lewis structure for each of
the following molecules and ions. Identify the parent and molecular shape (except for diatomics) and, in the
case of neutral molecules, whether or not each molecule is polar. Be sure to include any non-zero formal
charges, and show all pairs of electrons as pairs of dots and all bond pairs as lines. Finally, draw a
perspective diagram of each molecule or ion. (There is only one central atom in each case; it has been
underlined where there is possible ambiguity.)
NOTE: Lewis structures do not need to include geometry/angles, but some of the answers drawn
below do. For those structures, it is more important that you have the correct number/location of
electrons and atom connectivity.
Parent Molecular Polar or
Lewis Structure Perspective Diagram
Shape Shape Nonpolar?
SiBr4 Tetrahedral Tetrahedral nonpolar
SO2Cl2 Tetrahedral Tetrahedral polar
ClOF Tetrahedral Bent polar
Square
BrF5 Octahedral polar
pyramidal
Trigonal
XeO3 Tetrahedral polar
pyramidal
Trigonal
[XeO4]2– Seesaw N/A
bipyramidal
Trigonal
PH3 Tetrahedral polar
pyramidal
CH3Cl Tetrahedral Tetrahedral polar
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
Trigonal
BrOF3 Seesaw polar
bipyramidal
Trigonal Trigonal
BClI2 polar
planar planar
ClBr Linear Linear polar
[ClO4]– Tetrahedral Tetrahedral N/A
Trigonal
[NO2]– Bent N/A
planar
HOCl Tetrahedral Bent polar
H2Se Tetrahedral Bent polar
SCl2O2 Tetrahedral Tetrahedral polar
(The relative
positioning of the
oxygen and chlorine
atoms is unimportant).
[PO4]3– Tetrahedral Tetrahedral N/A
(Note: it does not matter which
oxygen atom is double-bound
to the P).
Trigonal
XeF2 Linear nonpolar
bipyramidal
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
Trigonal
SOCl2 Tetrahedral polar
pyramidal
Tetrahedral
(at P)
Tetrahedral
PO(NH2)F2 (both P polar
Trigonal
and N)
pyramidal
(at N)
HCl Linear Linear polar
N2 Linear Linear nonpolar
SiF4 Tetrahedral Tetrahedral nonpolar
[PCl6]– Octahedral Octahedral N/A
Trigonal
SeF4 Seesaw polar
bipyramidal
Trigonal
[ClO3]– Tetrahedral N/A
pyramidal
Trigonal Trigonal
COCl2 polar
planar planar
[SCN]– Linear Linear N/A
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
Trigonal
ClF3 T-shaped polar
bipyramidal
CO Linear Linear polar
O2 Linear Linear nonpolar
Trigonal
SO2 Bent polar
planar
[HO2]– Tetrahedral Bent N/A
Trigonal Trigonal
AsF5 nonpolar
bipyramidal bipyramidal
SeFCl Tetrahedral Bent polar
Trigonal
FNO bent polar
planar
Square
XeF4 Octahedral nonpolar
planar Or
Pentagonal Pentagonal
IF7 nonpolar
bipyramidal bipyramidal
Trigonal
[ClF4]+ Seesaw N/A
bipyramidal
[CN]– Linear Linear N/A
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
SNF3 Tetrahedral Tetrahedral polar
Square
XeOF4 Octahedral polar
pyramidal
NO Linear Linear polar
Note: Polarity is used to indicate the presence of a net dipole in a neutral molecule. For this reason,
all of the ions (charged species) in the above table have “N/A” (not applicable) listed in the polarity
column.
8. Identify the parent and molecular shapes for the following 3D models:
Part Image Parent Shape Molecular Shape
(a)
Tetrahedral Tetrahedral
(b)
Tetrahedral Trigonal pyramidal
(c)
Trigonal bipyramidal T-shaped
(d)
Trigonal bipyramidal Seesaw
(e)
Tetrahedral Trigonal pyramidal
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
(f)
Octahedral Square-based pyramidal
(g)
Trigonal planar
Trigonal planar
Note: this cannot be
trigonal bipyramidal.
(h) (all
atoms
are co-
planar) Octahedral Square planar
9. Hexanoyl chloride is an organic molecule with a functional group called an acid chloride. Three different
representations (a Lewis structure, a perspective diagram, and a 3D model) of this molecule are shown
below.
(a) Identify the parent shape and the molecular shape of each central atom
In this molecule, the parent shape and the molecular shape of each central atom is the same.
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
(b) What is the maximum number of atoms that can lie in the same plane? 9 (shown in red below)
(c) Are there any polar covalent bonds in this molecule? Yes
(d) Is this molecule polar? Yes
10. Butandioic acid is an organic molecule with two carboxylic acid functional groups. Three different
representations (a Lewis structure, a perspective diagram, and a 3D model) of this molecule are shown
below.
(a) Identify the parent shape and the molecular shape of each carbon atom.
In this molecule, the parent shape and the molecular shape of each central atom is the same.
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
(b) What is the maximum number of atoms that can lie in the same plane? 10 (shown in red below)
11. Which of the following molecules is/are non-polar?
(A) ClF3
(B) XeO3
(C) SeO2
(D) SOCl2
(E) XeF4
12. In each of the following series, pick out the one member that is structurally different and specify its shape
and the shapes of the remaining members of the series:
(a) [NO2]+, [N3]–, [ClO2]+, [NCO]–, OCS
[ClO2]+ is different from the others.
(b) PF5, SbF5, IF5, SOF4, AsF5
IF5 is different from the others.
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
13. For each of the following, draw all chemically reasonable resonance structures (only expand octets to reduce
formal charge). Circle best resonance structure(s). What is the molecular shape in each case? For neutral
molecules, indicate whether they are polar or non-polar.
(a) [ClO4]— Molecular Shape: Tetrahedral
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
(b) SO3 Molecular Shape: Trigonal planar Non-polar
(c) POF3 Molecular Shape: Tetrahedral Polar
(d) [N3]– Molecular Shape: Linear
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
(e) SeO2 Molecular Shape: Bent Polar
(f) [SCN]– Molecular Shape: Linear
14. Draw perspective diagrams for each of the following compounds.
Acetylsalicyclic acid
Acetic acid
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
15. Which of the following is a correctly drawn perspective diagram for C2H4O?
The correct answer is B.
16. Molecules with this shape are always polar:
(A) Octahedral
(B) Trigonal planar
(C) T-shaped
(D) Linear
(E) Tetrahedral
17. Which of the following molecules possesses a permanent dipole moment?
(A) XeF2
(B) XeF4
(C) SF4
(D) PF5
(E) SiF4
18. Which of the following molecules is trigonal planar in molecular shape and has a net dipole moment?
(A) PCl2F
(B) BF3
(C) BrF3
(D) SO3
(E) CH2O
19. Methanol (CH3OH, 2 mol) reacts with O2 (1 mol) at high temperature (with a catalyst) to give only water (2
mol) and product X (2 mol). What is the molecular geometry of X?
2 CH3OH + O2 2 H2O + 2 X;
X = CH2O, molecular geometry = trigonal planar
20. Using the skeletal structures shown below, identify the maximum number of atoms that can lie in the same
plane for each molecule. Lone pairs are not shown.
(a) Ethyl ethanoate is an organic molecule with a functional group called an ester. The maximum number of
coplanar atoms is 8 (shown in red).
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
(b) 1-propanamine is an organic molecule with a functional group called an amine. The maximum number of
coplanar atoms is 6 (shown in red).
(c) The molecule shown below has three functional groups: a carboxylic acid, an alkene, and a ketone. The
maximum number of coplanar atoms is 14 (shown in red).
21. The following questions are about N2H2 (diazene) and N2H4 (hydrazine).
HN NH H 2N NH2
(a) What is the bond order of the nitrogen-nitrogen bond in N2H2?
The bond order is 2
(b) What is the bond order of each nitrogen-hydrogen bond in N2H2?
The bond order is 1.
(c) What is the maximum number of co-planar atoms that can occur in the molecular structure of N2H4?
The maximum number of co-planar atoms is 4.
(d) Which has the shorter nitrogen-nitrogen bond length, N2H2 or N2H4?
N2H2 has the shorter nitrogen-nitrogen bond length.
(e) Which has the smaller nitrogen-nitrogen bond dissociation energy, N2H2 or N2H4?
N2H4 has the smaller nitrogen-nitrogen bond dissociation energy.
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UBC CHEM ChIRP: Chapter 3 – Additional Problem Answers (2025)
22. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful method that can allow determination of
molecular structure. In this method, transitions between the nuclear energy levels of atoms within molecules
can be measured by the absorption or emission of electromagnetic energy of appropriate wavelength
(typically radio frequency). These transitions result in the observation of separate signals for atoms in
different environments. For example, the axial and equatorial fluorine atoms in PF5 are in different
environments relative to each other, and the fluorine NMR spectrum of this compound contains two signals.
One signal is due to the two axial fluorine atoms whereas the other signal is due to the three equatorial
fluorine atoms. Using the above information, decide how many signals are expected in the fluorine NMR
spectrum of:
(a) SF4: two signals
One signal is due to two equivalent equatorial fluorine atoms;
the other signal is due to two equivalent axial fluorine atoms.
(b) XeF4: one signal
All fluorine atoms are equivalent (all equatorial), only show one signal
(c) ClF3: two signals
One signal is due to one equatorial fluorine atoms;
the other signal is due to two equivalent axial fluorine atoms.
(d) XeOF4: one signal
All fluorine atoms are equivalent to each other as they are all in the equatorial
positions, so there is only one signal.
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