What shape will a molecule adopt if it has four electron pairs around the central atom?

A molecule with four electron pairs around the central atom will adopt a tetrahedral shape due to the arrangement of these electron pairs. According to the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory, electron pairs will orient themselves as far apart as possible to minimize repulsion between them.

In a tetrahedral arrangement, the four electron pairs are situated at the corners of a tetrahedron, which results in bond angles of approximately 109.5 degrees. This geometry arises because all four pairs are bonding pairs, contributing to the overall shape of the molecule.

In contrast, the other shapes listed correspond to different configurations of electron pairs. For instance, a linear shape occurs with two electron pairs, trigonal planar is the arrangement for three electron pairs, and octahedral is identified with six. These differing arrangements highlight how the number of electron pairs directly influences the molecular geometry.