Central Atom

Definition

In molecular geometry, central atom is an atom in a molecule or ion that has bonds with two or more other atoms.

Related terms

Lone Pair Electrons:

These are pairs of valence electrons that are not used in bonding but belong exclusively to one atom.

Octet Rule:

A rule stating that atoms lose, gain, or share electrons so as to have eight valence electrons.

VSEPR Theory (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion): A model used to predict molecular shapes based on minimizing repulsion between electron pairs around a central atom.