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We have fixed bonding angles for Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen and such, so how can the bond stay in place if the electrostatic force underlying from the valence electrons, which are moving all the time. If the electrons move, then then that forces keeping the other electron at a particular angle seem to need a fixed electron position. That would give deterministic forces holding the other atom at a particular known, fixed angles.

The theory progression from Bohr to angular momentum to quantum seems to fail to address this basic experimental evidence. Does quantum theory determine bonding angles?

user3290084
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  • There are quantum mechanical orbitals and there are quantum mechanical models for bonds http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/~cchieh/cact/c120/hybrid.html – anna v Jan 20 '18 at 17:53
  • Electrons in solids are in Bloch functions, not orbitals... – Jon Custer Jan 20 '18 at 18:45
  • Thanks anna v, that reference is excellent. I see the comment on that page, and have a challenge that the orbital is d2sp3, but neither Sulfur and Florine have a d-shell electron. How can that be? From that reference "• What is the shape of the molecule SF6?

    Discussion - Since the S atom uses d2sp3 hybrid orbitals, you expect the shape to be octahedral. The F atoms form an octahedron around the sulfur. "

     – user3290084 Jan 22 '18 at 15:43

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The Bohr model is just completely wrong. It's a historical artifact and shouldn't be taught in schools anymore.

Electrons are waves. The electrons in an atom or molecule are in standing-wave patterns, like a vibrating guitar string. You can say that a standing wave is moving, or you can say that it's not moving --- basically we just shouldn't try to impose concepts like a trajectory onto something that's actually a wave. There is motion in the sense that there is kinetic energy.

By the way, classically, it is not possible to have a set of charges in electrostatic equilibrium.

Does quantum theory determine bonding angles?

Yes, quantum mechanics gives a complete and accurate description of atoms and molecules to many decimal places. However, the Bohr model is not quantum mechanics.

  • Then why does the quantum mechanics call it the Angular Quantum Number? That name makes it seem Angular Momentum is the basis. – user3290084 Jan 22 '18 at 16:23