What is the shape of water?a)Triagonalb)Triagonal bipyramidalc)Bentd)Square planarCorrect answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?

Question

Answer

Answer

The water molecule H-O-H has an arrangement of electrons in a tetrahedral. As it contains two bond pairs and lone pairs in the form of the molecule of type AB3E2, it’s shape is bent i.e. neglecting the lone pairs.

Answer

The Shape of Water: Bent

The shape of a molecule is determined by its electron geometry and the presence of lone pairs. In the case of water (H2O), it has a bent or V-shaped molecular geometry. This shape arises due to the presence of two lone pairs of electrons on the central oxygen atom.

Electron Geometry of Water

The electron geometry of a molecule is determined by the arrangement of electron pairs around the central atom. In the case of water, the central oxygen atom is surrounded by four electron pairs: two bonding pairs and two lone pairs. The electron pairs repel each other and spread out as far as possible, resulting in a tetrahedral electron geometry.

Molecular Geometry of Water

The molecular geometry of water describes the arrangement of atoms in a molecule, considering only the positions of the atoms and not the lone pairs. In water, the two bonding pairs of electrons and the two lone pairs repel each other, causing the molecule to assume a bent shape. The two hydrogen atoms are located on one side of the oxygen atom, resulting in a V-shaped structure.

Explanation of Bent Shape

The bent shape of water arises due to the repulsion between the lone pairs of electrons on the central oxygen atom. Lone pairs of electrons exert a stronger repulsion compared to bonding pairs. As a result, the two bonding pairs are pushed closer together, causing the H-O-H bond angle to be less than the ideal tetrahedral angle of 109.5 degrees.

The actual bond angle in water is approximately 104.5 degrees. This smaller bond angle indicates the presence of the lone pairs, which disrupt the ideal tetrahedral arrangement of electron pairs. The bent shape of water is responsible for many of its unique properties, such as its ability to form hydrogen bonds and its high boiling point.

Conclusion

In summary, water has a bent or V-shaped molecular geometry due to the presence of two lone pairs of electrons on the central oxygen atom. The repulsion between the lone pairs causes the two bonding pairs to be pushed closer together, resulting in a smaller bond angle of approximately 104.5 degrees. Understanding the shape of water is important in explaining its properties and behavior in various chemical and biological processes.

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