9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
What is the shape of a molecule?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Well, a molecule is mostly empty space.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Almost all of its mass is concentrated

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in the extremely dense nuclei of its atoms.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And its electrons,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which determine how the atoms

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
are bonded to each other,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
are more like clouds of negative charge

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
than individual, discrete particles.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So, a molecule doesn't have a shape

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in the same way that, for example,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
a statue has a shape.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
But for every molecule,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
there's at least one way

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to arrange the nuclei and electrons

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
so as to maximize the attraction

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
of opposite charges

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and minimize the repulsion

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
of like charges.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Now, let's assume that the only electrons

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that matter to a molecule's shape

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
are the outermost ones from each participating atom.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And let's also assume

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that the electron clouds in between atoms,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
in other words, a molecule's bonds,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
are shaped kind of like sausages.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Remember that nuclei are positively charged

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and electrons are negatively charged,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and if all of the molecule's nuclei

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
were bunched up together

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
or if all of its electrons were bunched up together,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
they would just repel each other and fly apart,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and that doesn't help anyone.