electron pairs - 2025 PACE NSC

Question

They're not a type of bond, but these entities boost reaction rate at adjacent reaction centers in neighboring group participation. A theory named after polyhedral skeletal types of these entities is used to predict the structure of borane cluster compounds and is sometimes called Wade's rules. (20[1]0[1])The fact that thallium is more stable (0[2])in the +1 oxidation state is explained by an (0[1])effect where these entities are (*) "inert." (10[5]0[1])Replacing a bond (10[1])with one of these entities (10[2])decreases (10[1])a bond angle (10[1])by (10[1])approximately (10[2])2.5 (10[5])degrees. (10[9])The presence (10[1])of two of (10[1])these entities (10[1])explains the bent geometry (10[1])of water, (10[4])and these entities are typically (0[1])drawn as two dots. (10[1])For 10 points, name these groups of two negatively charged particles. (10[1])■END■ (10[4])

ANSWER: electron pairs [or lone pairs; accept inert pairs or inert pair effect; accept polyhedral skeletal electron pair theory; prompt on electrons; prompt on pairs]

= Average correct buzz position

Buzzes

Player	Team	Opponent	Buzz Position	Value
Draco Qiao	Carmel A	Winston Churchill A	45	20
Aaryan Sumesh	Thomas Jefferson A	Adlai E. Stevenson A	45	0
Tate Osborne	Alabama Cyber Tech	Belmont	52	0
Neel Rege	Great Valley	Downingtown STEM	52	0
Gugan Thuduppathy	Montgomery Blair A	Detroit Catholic Central A	61	0
Max Chen	Strake Jesuit A	Audrain County AT	67	10
Shaun Iyer	Innovation Academy A	Fremd	67	10
Deepak Viswalingam	Westwood	Johns Creek	67	10
Aadi Pudasaini	Lexington	Lambert A	67	10
Vidur Kothur	Lindbergh	Northmont	67	0
Hrishi Bhooma	Thomas Jefferson D	Okemos	67	10
Kevin Qiu	Wayzata	Park Tudor	70	10
Camille Pimentel	Hunter B	Detroit Catholic Central B	75	10
Andrew Zhao	Richard Montgomery	Hinsdale Central A	75	10
Jonathan Ouyang	Uni of Illinois Laboratory	Strake Jesuit B	76	10
Beckett Pursey	Edina	Saratoga	79	10
Sasha Tripathi	Parkway West	Seven Lakes	80	10
Samy El-Zahabi	Chattahoochee B	Fairfield County AT	81	10
Yongle Xin	Montgomery Blair B	Innovation Academy B	81	10
Maya Hulyalkar	Adlai E. Stevenson B	Grosse Pointe South	82	10
Karthik Jayaram	Walker	Glenbrook South	82	10
Kaiden Lee	Northview	Hunter A	82	10
Jeev Hora	Kane County AT	Thomas Jefferson E	82	10
Daniel Guo	Uni School of Nashville A	Uni School of Nashville B	82	10
Tarun Devi	Chattahoochee A	Georgetown Day	83	10
Maxwell Swann	Centennial A	Classen SAS	83	10
Dominic Salazar	Irvington	Lincoln-Way East A	83	10
Rochan Saireddy	Lambert B	Carmel B	83	10
Reed Karosich	Coronado	Lincoln-Way East B	83	10
Cooper Jurgeleit	Northside College Prep	Quince Orchard	83	10
Wyatt Johnson	Solon	Yukon A	83	10
Eshaan Sombhatta	Thomas Jefferson C	Saint Joseph	83	10
Everett Van Til	Homewood-Flossmoor	White Pigeon	83	10
Snehan Saroch	Russell	Detroit Catholic Central C	85	10
Kaitlyn Leonard	Barrington	West Point	88	10
Henry Nolan	Herron	Page	90	10
Mandy Dantz	Walter Payton A	Eastchester	94	10
Brandon Torres	Carl Sandburg	Thomas Jefferson B	96	10
Ryan Smith	Downingtown STEM	Great Valley	96	10
Hunter Davis	Milton	Centennial B	96	10
Ben Hesser	Walter Payton B	Yukon B	96	10
Zhedong Han	Winston Churchill B	Lee's Summit	101	0
Reily Gillenwater	Virginia	North Quincy	105	10
Andrew Gao	Belmont	Alabama Cyber Tech	116	10
Chris Goolsby	Detroit Catholic Central A	Montgomery Blair A	117	10
Kevin Adler	Northmont	Lindbergh	117	10
Anirudh "Ani" Srinivasan	Adlai E. Stevenson A	Thomas Jefferson A	117	10
Aidyn Congdon	Lee's Summit	Winston Churchill B	117	10

Summary

Tournament	Edition	Exact Match?	TUH	Conv. %	Power %	Neg %	Average Buzz
2025 PACE NSC	06/07/2025	Y	42	100%	2%	0%	85.33