Chapter 7 Introduction
Molecular models help chemists to picture something too tiny to see.
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CHAPTER 7
Building Molecules
184
In this chapter, you will study
three-dimensional molecular models
the role of valence electrons in determining molecular shape
the receptor site theory and have a chance to develop your own model of how a nose works
Two compounds with the same functional group may have different smells. In addition to molecular structure, the shape of a molecule seems to be related to its smell. Molecular shape is determined by the bonds between atoms and the locations of electrons. Because we experience different molecular shapes as different smells, our experience tells us that the nose can somehow detect these differences.