A pair of electrons occupying an orbital in an atom or molecule and not directly involved in bonding.
Example sentencesExamples
- The oxygen atom of an ether functional group has two lone pairs of electrons.
- Identifying types of bonds and lone pairs of electrons is as critical to accurately predicting the shape of a molecule as is determining the number of bonds.
- Molecules that contain lone pairs of electrons (like ammonia or water) can use these to bond with metal atoms capable of receiving them.
- A very useful method for understanding and predicting molecular shapes that relies upon the role of the lone pair is called the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion theory.
- The molecular geometry around an atom depends upon the number of bonds to other atoms and the presence or absence of lone pairs of electrons associated with the atom.