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Chemical Bonding & Molecular Structure

Electron Domain Geometry

The spatial arrangement of all electron domains — bonding and lone pairs alike — around a central atom.

Unit degrees

In depth

Each single, double or triple bond counts as one domain, as does each lone pair. The domains adopt the arrangement that maximises their separation: linear, trigonal planar, tetrahedral, trigonal bipyramidal or octahedral for two through six domains. This geometry is the scaffold from which molecular shape is read off.

Examples in the real world

Water has four domains and so a tetrahedral electron geometry, even though its molecular shape is bent.