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    Finding The Bond Angle in Tetrahedral-Shaped Molecule: Christopher J. Kawa

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    Rudolf Kiralj
    This document provides an explanation for how to calculate the bond angle in a tetrahedral-shaped molecule. It first describes modeling the molecule using yarn inscribed in a cube. It then shows that by considering the geometry of a tetrahedron inscribed in a cube, the bond angle can be calculated using trigonometry. Specifically, it shows that by treating the tetrahedron edges as the cube's face diagonals and body diagonal, the law of cosines can be used to calculate the bond angle as arccos(-0.33333), which equals approximately 109.5 degrees.

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    Finding The Bond Angle in Tetrahedral-Shaped Molecule: Christopher J. Kawa

    Uploaded by

    Rudolf Kiralj
    48 views2 pages
    This document provides an explanation for how to calculate the bond angle in a tetrahedral-shaped molecule. It first describes modeling the molecule using yarn inscribed in a cube. It then shows that by considering the geometry of a tetrahedron inscribed in a cube, the bond angle can be calculated using trigonometry. Specifically, it shows that by treating the tetrahedron edges as the cube's face diagonals and body diagonal, the law of cosines can be used to calculate the bond angle as arccos(-0.33333), which equals approximately 109.5 degrees.

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    Tetrahedral molecule geometry.

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    trd

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    This document provides an explanation for how to calculate the bond angle in a tetrahedral-shaped molecule. It first describes modeling the molecule using yarn inscribed in a cube. It then shows that by considering the geometry of a tetrahedron inscribed in a cube, the bond angle can be calculated using trigonometry. Specifically, it shows that by treating the tetrahedron edges as the cube's face diagonals and body diagonal, the law of cosines can be used to calculate the bond angle as arccos(-0.33333), which equals approximately 109.5 degrees.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    48 views2 pages

    Finding The Bond Angle in Tetrahedral-Shaped Molecule: Christopher J. Kawa

    Uploaded by

    Rudolf Kiralj
    This document provides an explanation for how to calculate the bond angle in a tetrahedral-shaped molecule. It first describes modeling the molecule using yarn inscribed in a cube. It then shows that by considering the geometry of a tetrahedron inscribed in a cube, the bond angle can be calculated using trigonometry. Specifically, it shows that by treating the tetrahedron edges as the cube's face diagonals and body diagonal, the law of cosines can be used to calculate the bond angle as arccos(-0.33333), which equals approximately 109.5 degrees.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Finding the Bond Angle in a Tetrahedral-Shaped Molecule

    Christopher J. Kawa
    Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506

    For years I have been teaching students that the bond bond length of the molecule is half the body diagonal of the
    angle in a tetrahedral-shaped molecule was approximately cube, or $1'2 (see Fig. 4).
    109.5O. This year, when a student asked for proof, I found The value of the angle 8 can now be found directly by using
    the explanation to be more complex than it first appeared. the law of cosines.
    The key to understanding the geometry of the problem is
    to inscribe the tetrahedron in a cube so that the edges of the c2 = a2 + b2 - 2ab (eos 8)
    tetrahedron form diagonals on the faces of the cube. T o help where 8 is the angle opposit_e side c.
    visualize this, I made a model using yam inside a box that Substituting ,Z for c, and ,312 for both a and b gives
    measured 11in. on each edge. I used black yarn to form the
    tetrahedron, while red yarn was used to show the geometry 2 = 314 + 314 - 2(\1~12)($12)(cos 8)
    of the molecule inscribed 'n the tetrahedron (see Fig. 1). Rearranging, cos 0 = -0.33333. Thus, 8 = arccos (-0.33333)
    For a cube that has an edge length of 1, the face diagonal = 109.41°.
    would measure $2 and body diagonal $ (see Fig. 2). The
    edges of the inscribed tetrahedron are the same as the face
    diagonal, or \E (seeFig. 3). Since the center of the molecule is
    equidistant to all corners of the cube, it must follow that the

    I. - - - - -- - - - - -
    ,
    1
    Figure 3. A tebahedmn Inscribed In a cube showing the relative lengths of
    each edge lo the slde of lhe cube.

    Figure 1. A model far a tetrahedral-shaped molecule made of yarn inscribed In


    a box.

    Figure 4. The bond lengths and bond angle 9. of a molecule inscribed in a


    tetrahedron.

    GI2
    Figure 2. Relative lengths of face and bcdy diagonals to lhe side of a cube. Flgure 5. A rigM biangie showing how the value of X.9 can be determined.

    884 Journal of Chemical Education


    An alternate method for determining angle B involves sin L/z8= ,2/,3 = 0.8165
    dropping a perpendicular from the center to the face diago- cos L/~8= 1/,3 = 0.5774
    nal, thereby cutting the triangle in half. This results in the -
    formation of two equivalent right triangles (see Fig. 5). tan '/SO = ,2 = 1.4142
    Knowing that the length of the adjacent side is 112 and that Again, the numbers represent the value of the sine, cosine,
    the opposite side is 812, the sine, cosine, or tangent function and tangent of SO. To find the value of '/28, the inverse of
    could then he used to find the value of %8. Any one of these these trigonometric functions must be taken. This yields a
    three functions could be used: value of 54.74' in each case for %8, or 109.48' for 8.

    Volume 65 Number 10 October 1988 885

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