Question

use the VSEPR model to study the structure of H2Se​

Answer 1

QUESTION:

Use the VSEPR theory to predict the shape of hydrogen selenide

VSEPR MODEL:

The valence shell electron pair repulsion theory can be used to predict the geometry of molecules in which the central atom is a nonmetal. The theory is based on the concept that the molecule will assume a geometry in which the repulsion among bonding electrons and lone pairs of electrons is minimized.

EXPLANATION:

For the hydrogen selenide molecule, the central atom is selenium bonded with two hydrogen atoms. Selenium is an element that belongs to Group 6A which means that it has 6 valence electrons that are available for bonding. Selenium uses two of these electrons to form two covalent single bonds with the two hydrogen atoms. The remaining four valence electrons are nonbonding and will exist as two lone pairs of electrons.

Since the central atom has a total of four groups attached to it (two bonding groups and two lone pairs), then the molecule has a tetrahedral electron-pair geometry. However, since the two electron groups are lone pairs, then the final molecular geometry is actually bent-shaped.