Grade 10 · Science · Chemistry

10th grade Predict molecular shape worksheet

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Predict molecular shape

Grade 10 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.

NH₃ has 3 H–N–H angles of 106.67° each. What is their total, to 0.01°, Ari?
BF₃ has 3 F–B–F angles of 120° each. What is their total, Bo?
CH₄ has 6 H–C–H angles of 109.47° each. What is their total, to 0.01°, Esme?
4.
NH₃'s electron groups point to the corners of a tetrahedron. Why is its shape called pyramidal, Jun?
- The lone pair is an atom
- Shape names only the atoms' positions
- Nitrogen sits at one corner of the shape
5.
BF₃'s three angles total 360°. What does that show, Kira?
- The molecule is a pyramid
- The molecule is flat
- It has a lone pair
6.
NH₃'s three angles total about 320°. What does that show, Luz?
- It is linear
- It is flat and lies in one plane
- It is a pyramid, not flat
7.
Milo says water must be linear because it has only two bonds. Agree or disagree?
- Disagree: its lone pairs bend it
- Agree: two bonds make a straight line
- Agree: like CO₂
8.
Noah says NH₃ is flat like BF₃ because both have three bonds. Agree or disagree?
- Disagree: NH₃ has a lone pair
- Agree: three bonds lie flat
- Agree: N and B are neighbors
9.
Pia says CO₂ is bent like water. Agree or disagree?
- Agree: both have three atoms
- Agree: oxygen bends it
- Disagree: CO₂ has no lone pairs on C
10.
Which has the larger bond angle, BF₃ or CH₄, Ren?
- BF₃, at 120°
- CH₄, at 109.5°
- They are equal

Predict molecular shape. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

I can use VSEPR: electron groups, including lone pairs, spread as far apart as possible.
I can name linear (180°), trigonal planar (120°), tetrahedral (109.5°), trigonal pyramidal (about 107°) and bent (about 104.5°) shapes.
I can explain how lone pairs squeeze bond angles.
I can tell electron-group arrangement from molecular shape.

Standard: none (TX)

VSEPR: Valence-shell electron-pair repulsion: electron groups spread apart

electron group: A bond (single, double or triple) or a lone pair on the central atom

bond angle: The angle between two bonds at the central atom

tetrahedral: Four groups pointing to the corners of a tetrahedron, 109.5°

molecular shape: The arrangement of the atoms only

Your child added where the question needed another operation: subtract for a difference, multiply for a total of equal angles.

Your child dropped the minus sign. Groups spread apart give angles of cos⁻¹(−1 ÷ (n − 1)), always above 90°.

Your child ignored the lone pairs. They take up space, so they change the shape and squeeze the bond angles.

What is the most common mistake with predict molecular shape?

Your child added where the question needed another operation: subtract for a difference, multiply for a total of equal angles.

Are these 10th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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