Grade 10 · Science · Chemistry

10th grade Predict molecular shape worksheet

6 printable versionsBuilding Confidence10 questions · answer keyFree · no account

Level: Building Confidence · On Level · Challenge Me

When it’s done, scan the sheet with your phone and PencilGo marks it and picks the next one. Create a free account

Version

Predict molecular shape

Grade 10 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

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

CH₄'s bond angle is 109.5° and H₂O's is 104.48° (NIST). How many degrees smaller is water's, Ari?
CH₄'s bond angle is 109.5° and NH₃'s is 106.67° (NIST). How many degrees smaller is ammonia's, Bo?
CO₂'s bond angle is 180° and BF₃'s is 120°. How many degrees smaller is BF₃'s, Esme?
Read this first
Molecule sketches with shapes and bond angles (VSEPR; NH₃ and H₂O angles from NIST CCCBDB)
molecule electron groups on the center lone pairs on the center shape bond angle (°)
CO₂ 2 0 linear 180
BF₃ 3 0 trigonal planar 120
CH₄ 4 0 tetrahedral 109.5
NH₃ 4 1 trigonal pyramidal 106.67
H₂O 4 2 bent 104.48
4.
Using the table, what is CH₄'s bond angle, Kira?
- 109.5°
- 120°
- 90°
5.
Using the table, why is H₂O bent, Luz?
- Oxygen is heavy
- It has just 2 hydrogens
- It has 2 lone pairs
6.
What does VSEPR say electron groups do, Milo?
- Spread as far apart as possible
- Line up in a row
- Bunch together on one side of the atom
7.
How many electron groups does a double bond count as, Noah?
- Two
- One
- Four
8.
Do lone pairs count as electron groups, Pia?
- Yes, they take up space too
- No: bonding pairs are the groups
- On hydrogen atoms, and nowhere else
9.
What is the shape of three atoms around a center, flat, at 120°, Ren?
- Linear
- Tetrahedral, like CH₄
- Trigonal planar
10.
What is the shape of four atoms around a center at 109.5°, Tala?
- Trigonal planar
- Bent
- Tetrahedral

molecule	electron groups on the center	lone pairs on the center	shape	bond angle (°)
CO₂	2	0	linear	180
BF₃	3	0	trigonal planar	120
CH₄	4	0	tetrahedral	109.5
NH₃	4	1	trigonal pyramidal	106.67
H₂O	4	2	bent	104.48

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.

Every sheet you scan goes into your child’s record: dated, marked and ready for the year-end portfolio. Homeschool records