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jnimagine
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How is the bond angle for Cl-C-Cl in dichloromethane different from H-C-H bond angle of CH4? Is it smaller??
The bond angles in CH4 (methane) and dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) are different due to the presence of chlorine atoms in dichloromethane. In CH4, all the bond angles are 109.5 degrees, while in dichloromethane, the bond angle between the carbon and the two chlorine atoms is around 111 degrees, and the bond angle between the carbon and two hydrogen atoms is around 107 degrees.
This is because the chlorine atoms in dichloromethane have a larger atomic radius compared to hydrogen atoms in methane. This larger size creates a bigger repulsion between the bonded atoms, resulting in a slight increase in the bond angle.
The bond angles determine the shape of molecules in three-dimensional space. In methane, the bond angles are all 109.5 degrees, resulting in a tetrahedral shape. In dichloromethane, the bond angles are slightly different, leading to a distorted tetrahedral shape.
Bond angles can also be influenced by the presence of lone pairs of electrons, which can create additional repulsion and alter the bond angles. Additionally, the presence of double or triple bonds can also affect the bond angles in a molecule.
The most common method for determining bond angles in molecules is through X-ray crystallography, where the positions of atoms in a crystal can be determined by measuring the diffraction of X-rays. Other techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and infrared (IR) spectroscopy can also provide information about bond angles in molecules.