0 votes
63 views
ago in Chemical bonding by (570 points)
What is the predicted bond angle in a water molecule based on its molecular geometry and electron pair geometry, and how does it differ from the ideal bond angle?

1 Answer

0 votes
ago by (450 points)
A water molecule  H2O  has a bent molecular geometry due to the presence of two lone pairs of electrons on the central oxygen atom. The electron pair geometry of a water molecule is tetrahedral, which has an ideal bond angle of 109.5.However, the presence of the two lone pairs on the oxygen atom causes a repulsion between the electron pairs, which pushes the hydrogen atoms closer together. As a result, the actual bond angle in a water molecule is approximately 104.5, which is smaller than the ideal tetrahedral bond angle of 109.5.
Welcome to Sarvan Science Q&A, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of the community.
...