The ideal molecular geometry for CF4 (carbon tetrafluoride) is tetrahedral. In this geometry, the carbon atom is located at the center, with four fluorine atoms symmetrically arranged around it. Each fluorine atom is positioned at the corners of a tetrahedron, and the bond angles between the carbon and fluorine atoms are approximately 109.5 degrees.
This tetrahedral arrangement is due to the sp3 hybridization of the carbon atom. In sp3 hybridization, the carbon atom’s one 2s orbital and three 2p orbitals combine to form four equivalent sp3 hybrid orbitals. These orbitals then overlap with the 2p orbitals of the fluorine atoms to form four sigma (σ) bonds.
The tetrahedral geometry minimizes electron pair repulsion, following the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory. This theory states that electron pairs around a central atom will arrange themselves as far apart as possible to minimize repulsion, leading to the observed tetrahedral shape.