Question

How does a trigonal pyramid differ from a tetrahedron so far as molecular geometry is concerned? Bond angles in the tetrahedral molecule are 120°, while those for trigonal pyramid are 109.5° A trigonal pyramid is a tetrahedron with two vacant vertex. A trigonal pyramid is a tetrahedron with one vacant vertex. Bond angles in the tetrahedral molecule are 109.5°, while those for trigonal pyramid are 120° A tetrahedron has a square base, while the base of a trigonal pyramid is a triangle.

Answer 1

Answer:

A trigonal pyramid is a tetrahedron with one vacant vertex.

Explanation:

How does a trigonal pyramid differ from a tetrahedron so far as molecular geometry is concerned?

Bond angles in the tetrahedral molecule are 120°, while those for trigonal pyramid are 109.5°.  FALSE. Bond angles in the tetrahedral are 109.5°, while those for the trigonal pyramid are slightly lower than 109.5° due to the repulsion of the unshared pair of electrons on the central atom.

A trigonal pyramid is a tetrahedron with two vacant vertex. FALSE.

A trigonal pyramid is a tetrahedron with one vacant vertex. TRUE. This is the geometry of NH₃, in which the central atom is bonded to 3 atoms and has 1 unshared pair of electrons.

Bond angles in the tetrahedral molecule are 109.5°, while those for trigonal pyramid are 120°. FALSE.

A tetrahedron has a square base, while the base of a trigonal pyramid is a triangle. FALSE. Both have a triangular base.