When I draw the Lewis dot structure for BaCl2, I see that it is linear (Cl-Ba-Cl). When I look to verify my answer, I see I am wrong and it is really bent. Can someone explain this to me?

Question

anonymous · Answer

Lewis diagrams are not a reliable way of determining molecular geometry.

anonymous · Answer

How then do I determine the molecular geometry?

anonymous · Answer

One way would be by examining an x-ray diffraction pattern ... fairly advanced ...

anonymous · Answer

Can I say the molecular shape is linear but the geometric arrangement is bent?

somy · Answer

Lewis dot structure is actually pretty reliable 
Ba has 2 bond pairs and 2 lone pairs so the angle must be 104.5 thus the geometry is non-linear

somy · Answer

@ZebraSpot there is no 'molecular shape' there is only geometrical shape which is found by angles, and you can find the angel if u know number of bond pairs and lone pairs