[MaryHansen]

someone explain why is NH4+ and SO4(2-) tetrahedral? since N and S do not have 4 central atoms and S has an expanded octet.

also explain why ICl4- does not have a tetrahedral structure.

[Schrödinger]

someone explain why is NH4+ and SO4(2-) tetrahedral? since N and S do not have 4 central atoms and S has an expanded octet.

also explain why ICl4- does not have a tetrahedral structure.

What do you mean by 4 central atoms?

[MaryHansen]

someone explain why is NH4+ and SO4(2-) tetrahedral? since N and S do not have 4 central atoms and S has an expanded octet.

also explain why ICl4- does not have a tetrahedral structure.

What do you mean by 4 central atoms?

Carbon have 4 central atoms, Nitrogen have 5, but they all need to have 8 due to the octet rule.

[Schrödinger]

someone explain why is NH4+ and SO4(2-) tetrahedral? since N and S do not have 4 central atoms and S has an expanded octet.

also explain why ICl4- does not have a tetrahedral structure.

What do you mean by 4 central atoms?

Carbon have 4 central atoms, Nitrogen have 5, but they all need to have 8 due to the octet rule.

Those are electrons, not atoms.

[MaryHansen]

that's what I meant.

[Schrödinger]

Alright.

someone explain why is NH4+ and SO4(2-) tetrahedral? since N and S do not have 4 central atoms and S has an expanded octet.

What happens when these atoms bond with others? How many electrons / electron pairs can you see around each central atom?
The central atom in case of NH₄⁺ is N and in case of SO₄^2- it is S.

[MaryHansen]

Alright.

someone explain why is NH4+ and SO4(2-) tetrahedral? since N and S do not have 4 central atoms and S has an expanded octet.

What happens when these atoms bond with others? How many electrons / electron pairs can you see around each central atom?
The central atom in case of NH₄⁺ is N and in case of SO₄^2- it is S.

for SO4, it's supposed to seesaw due to the 2 unpaired electrons.
not sure about NH4.

[Schrödinger]

for SO4, it's supposed to seesaw due to the 2 unpaired electrons.
not sure about NH4.

Did you try drawing the Lewis structure with bond lines and electron pairs for each molecule?

One more thing : Don't neglect those charges on the molecules like you have done in the above quote. It's SO₄^2- and NH₄⁺