answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

Nitrogen, has 5 electrons in its outer shell, Boron has only 3.

When Nitrogen Bonds with 3 Chlorine atoms, to become NCl3, it still has 2 electrons left in its outer shell, which form a lone pair. As these could bond to a single proton, (i.e. hydrogen without its electron) they have to be shown in the diagram.

NCl3 therefore has 3 bonds and 1 lone pair, so 4 things to show in the bond diagram. Making it trigonal pyramidal.

However, Boron only has 3 electrons to bond. As these are all used up in the bonds with chlorine, there are only 3 bonding pairs to show in the diagram. Therefore it is trigonal planar.

NCl3 has bond angles of 107 degrees

whereas

BCl3 has bond angles of 120 degrees.

Hope this helps.

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

There are three bonding pairs and one bonding pair of electron around the central nitrogen atom. The ammonia molecule is trigonal pyramidal as non-bonding electron pairs repel more than bonding electron pairs.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

because the lone pair shoves the other atoms closer to each other

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

There is a lone pair.It makes NH3 pyramidal.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

The nitrogen in ammonia has 5 valence electrons and bonds with three hydrogen atoms to complete the octet.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

10y ago

There is a lone pair.It repels the bonds and make the shape pyramidal.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

NH3 has a lone pair.So NH3 is pyramidal.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why is the nitrogen trichloride molecule pyramidal shape but boron trichloride molecule trigonal planar?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What is the molecular geometry or shape of phosphorus trichloride (PCl3)?

The phosphorus trichloride (PCl3) has a molecule with a trigonal pyramidal form.


What is the molecular geometry or shape of phosphorus trichloride?

The phosphorus trichloride (PCl3) has a molecule with a trigonal pyramidal form.


What is the shape of phosphorus trichloride?

Phosphorus trichloride has a trigonal pyramidal shape.


What is the molecular shape of NClO2?

An NCl3 molecule would be a trigonal pyramidal because it has one center N atom with 3 Cl surrounding it, but also a lone pair of electrons on the top which bends the molecule downward, forming a trigonal pyramidal. Its electron shape would be tetrahedral, that is when you count the lone pairs of electrons as bonds themselves.


What shape does a boron trichloride molecule have?

Trigonal Planar


What is the shape of the molecule of nbr3?

The lone unbonded pair of electrons around nitrogen dictates that the NBr3 molecule will have a 3-D trigonal pyramidal shape.


What shape does the molecule SF3 plus have?

Sulfur trifluoride is the trigonal pyramidal due to repulsion of lone pairs.


What is the molecular geometry of nitrogen tribromide?

trigonal pyramidal


What shape does the molecule have?

Trigonal pyramidal (like NH3)


Is NF3 a trigonal pyramidal?

The shape of NF3 is trigonal pyramidal because Flourine bonds to nitrogen three times leaving nitrogen with a left over bond pair of electrons.


Shape of NF3?

The shape of nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) is trigonal pyramidal. The N atom is single bonded to three separate F atoms and has one lone pair present.


Why is phosphorus trichloride polar?

PCl3 has a trigonal pyramidal molecular geometry, and is, therefore, polar because the dipoles do not cancel.