CH3F Molecular Geometry - Science Education and Tutorials

Q: What is the molecular notation for CH3F molecule?

CH3F molecular notation is AX4.

Fluoromethane(CH3F) has the composition of one carbon, one fluorine, and three hydrogen atoms. What is the molecular geometry of fluoromethane?. Drawing and predicting the CH3F molecular geometry is very easy by following the given method. Here in this post, we described step by step to construct CH3F molecular geometry. Hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon come from the1st, 17th, and 14th family groups in the periodic table. Hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon have one, seven, and four valence electrons respectively.

Table of Contents

Key Points To Consider When drawing The CH3F Molecular Geometry

A three-step approach for drawing the CH3F molecular can be used. The first step is to sketch the molecular geometry of the CH3F molecule, to calculate the lone pairs of the electron in the central carbon, terminal fluorine, and terminal hydrogen atom; the second step is to calculate the CH3F hybridization, and the third step is to give perfect notation for the CH3F molecular geometry.

The CH3F molecular geometry is a diagram that illustrates the number of valence electrons and bond electron pairs in the CH3F molecule in a specific geometric manner. The geometry of the CH3F molecule can then be predicted using the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory (VSEPR Theory) and molecular hybridization theory, which states that molecules will choose the CH3F geometrical shape in which the electrons have from one another in the specific molecular structure.

Finally, you must add their bond polarities characteristics to compute the strength of the C-F bond (dipole moment properties of the CH3F molecular geometry). The carbon-fluorine bonds in the fluoromethane molecule(CH3F), for example, are polarised toward the more electronegative value fluorine atom, and because all (three C-H and one C-F) bonds have the same size and polarity, their sum is non zero due to the CH3F molecule’s bond dipole moment, and the CH3F molecule is classified as a polar molecule.

The molecule of dichloromethane (with tetrahedral shape CH3F molecular geometry) is tilted at 109.5 degrees. It has a difference in electronegativity values between fluorine and carbon atoms, with fluorine’s pull the electron cloud being greater than carbon’s. As a result, it has a permanent dipole moment in its molecular structure. The CH3F molecule has a dipole moment due to an unequal charge distribution of negative and positive charges.

Overview: CH3F electron and molecular geometry

According to the VSEPR theory, CH3F possesses tetrahedral molecular geometry and CH4-like electron geometry. Because the center atom, carbon, has three C-H and C-F bonds with the hydrogen and fluorine atoms surrounding it. The H-C-F bond generates 109.5 degrees in the tetrahedral molecular geometry. The CH3F molecule has a tetrahedral geometry shape because it contains one fluorine and three hydrogen atoms.

There are three C-H and one C-F bond at the CH3F molecular geometry. After linking the three hydrogens and one fluorine atom in the tetrahedral form, it maintains the tetrahedral-like structure. In the CH3F molecular geometry, the C-F and C-H bonds have stayed in the four terminals of the tetrahedral molecule.

The center carbon atom of CH3F has no lone pair of electrons, resulting in tetrahedral electron geometry. However, the molecular geometry of CH3F looks like a tetrahedral and no lone pair out of the plane. It’s the CH3F molecule’s asymmetrical geometry. As a result, the CH3F molecule is polar.

How to find CH3F hybridization and molecular geometry

Calculating lone pairs of electron on carbon in the CH3F molecule:

1.Determine the number of lone pairs on the core carbon atom of the CH3F Lewis structure. Because the lone pairs on carbon are mostly responsible for the CH3F molecule geometry distortion, we need to calculate out how many there are on the central carbon atom of the Lewis structure.

Use the formula below to find the lone pair on the carbon atom of the CH3F molecule.
L.P(C) = V.E(C) – N.A(C-H and C-F/2

Lone pair on the central carbon atom = L.P(C)
The core central carbon atom’s valence electron = V.E(C)
Number of C-H and C-Cl bonds = N.A (C-H and C-F)
calculation for carbon atom lone pair in CH3F molecule

For instance of CH3F, the central atom, carbon, has four electrons in its outermost valence shell, three C-H, and one C-F bond connection.

As a result of this, L.P(C) = (4 –4)/2=0

In the CH3F electron geometry structure, the lone pair on the central carbon atom is zero. It means there is no lone pair in the core carbon atom. These lone pair on the central carbon atom is responsible for the CH3F molecular geometry distortion.

If you imagine, there is no lone pair on the carbon atom of the CH3F molecule. Then, no electronic repulsion of C-F and C-H bonds pair in the CH3F. That gives stable tetrahedral geometry.

But in reality, the CH3F molecule undergoes distortion in its geometry due to the polarity of one fluorine atom in the tetrahedral geometry. This leads to tetrahedral geometry for the CH3F molecule.

Calculating lone pairs of electron on fluorine in the CH3F molecule:

1.Determine the number of lone pairs on the terminal fluorine atom of the CH3F Lewis structure. Because the lone pairs on carbon are mostly responsible for the CH3F molecule geometry distortion, we need to calculate out how many there are on the terminal fluorine atom of the Lewis structure. But we need to use different formulations for terminal atoms.

Use the formula below to find the lone pair on the fluorine atom of the CH3F molecule.
L.P(F) = V.E(F) – N.A(C-F)

Lone pair on the terminal fluorine atom in CH3F = L.P(F)
The core terminal fluorine atom’s valence electron = V.E(F)
Number of C-F bonds = N.A (C-F)
calculation for fluorine atom lone pair in CH3F molecule

For instance of CH3F, the terminal atom, fluorine, has seven electrons in its outermost valence shell, only one C-F connection.

As a result of this, L.P(F) = (7 –1)=6

In the CH3F electron geometry structure, the lone pair on the terminal fluorine atom is six. It means there are six lone pairs in the terminal fluorine atom. These lone pair on the terminal fluorine atom is responsible for the CH3F molecular interaction.

Calculating lone pairs of electron on hydrogen in the CH3F molecular geometry:

1.Determine the number of lone pairs on the terminal hydrogen atom of the CH3F Lewis structure. we need to calculate out how many there are on the terminal hydrogen atom of the Lewis structure. As we know clearly, the hydrogen atom has only s orbital in the ground state. It can take a maximum of two electrons.

Hydrogen does not show up any lone pairs of electrons. But we are trying to define this hypothesis in a mathematical manner.

Use the formula below to find the lone pair on the hydrogen atom of the CH3F molecule.
L.P(H) = V.E(H) – N.A(C-H )

Lone pair on the terminal hydrogen atom = L.P(H)
The core terminal hydrogen atom’s valence electron = V.E(H)
Number of C-H bonds = N.A (C-H )
calculation for hydrogen atom lone pair in CH3F molecule

For instance of CH3F, the terminal atom, hydrogen, has one electron in its outermost valence shell, only one C-H connection.

As a result of this, L.P(H) = (1 –1)=0

In the CH3F electron geometry structure, the lone pair on the terminal hydrogen atom is zero. It means there is no lone pair in the terminal hydrogen atoms. This simple mathematical illustration gives mathematical importance to chemical molecular structures.

Calculate the number of molecular hybridizations of CH3F molecule

What is CH3F hybrizidation? This is a very fundamental question in the field of molecular chemistry. All the molecules made by atoms. In chemistry, atoms are the fundamental particles. There are four different types of orbitals in chemistry. They are named as s, p, d, and f orbitals.

The entire periodic table arrangement is based on these orbital theories. Atoms in the periodic table are classified as follows:

s- block elements
p- block elements
d-block elements
f-block elements
Atoms are classified in the periodic table

CH3F molecule is made of one carbon, three hydrogens, and one fluorine atom. The fluorine and carbon atoms have s and p orbital. hydrogen comes as the first element in the periodic table. The hydrogen atom has s orbital.

When these atoms combine to form the CH3F molecule, its orbitals are mixed and form unique molecular orbitals due to hybridization.

How do you find the CH3F molecule’s hybridization? We must now determine the molecular hybridization number of CH3F.

The formula of CH3F molecular hybridization is as follows:
No. Hyb of CH3F= N.A(C-H and C-Fbonds) + L.P(C)
No. Hy of CH3F= the number of hybridizations of CH3F
Number of C-H and C-F bonds = N.A (C-F and C-H bonds)
Lone pair on the central carbon atom = L.P(C)
Calculation for hybridization number for CH3F molecule

In the CH3F molecule, carbon is a core atom with one fluorine and three hydrogen atoms connected to it and no lone pair. The number of CH3F hybridizations (No. Hyb of CH3F) can then be estimated using the formula below.

No. Hyb of CH3F= 4+0 =4

The CH3F molecule hybridization is four. The sp3 hybridization is formed when one S orbital and three p orbital join together to form a molecular orbital.

Molecular Geometry Notation for CH3F Molecule :

Determine the form of CH3F molecular geometry using VSEPR theory. The AXN technique is commonly used when the VSEPR theory is used to calculate the shape of the CH3F molecule.

The AXN notation of CH3F molecule is as follows:
The center carbon atom in the CH3F molecule is denoted by the letter A.
The bound pairs (C-H and C-F) of electrons to the core carbon atom are represented by X.
The lone pairs of electrons on the center carbon atom are denoted by the letter N.
Notation for CH3F molecular geometry

We know that carbon is the core atom, with four electron pairs bound (three C-H and one C-Cl) and no lone pair. The general molecular geometry formula for CH3F is AX4.

According to the VSEPR theory, if the CH3F molecule has an AX4 generic formula, the molecular geometry and electron geometry will both be tetrahedral forms.

Name of Molecule	Fluoromethane
Chemical molecular formula	CH3F
Molecular geometry of CH3F	Tetrahedral
Electron geometry of CH3F	Tetrahedral
Hybridization of CH3F	sp3
Bond angle (H-C-F)	109.5º degree
Total Valence electron for CH3F	14
The formal charge of CH3F on carbon	0

Summary:

In this post, we discussed the method to construct CH3F molecular geometry, the method to find the lone pairs of electrons in the central carbon atom, CH3F hybridization, and CH3F molecular notation. Need to remember that, if you follow the above-said method, you can construct the CH3F molecular structure very easily.