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Apr 14, 2020 · 3. Water has the formula HX2O H X 2 O and we can draw a Lewis structure with two lone pairs on the central oxygen. As a physics student and not a chemist, I think to myself, "Okay, there are two lone pairs, they will repel each other" and so we arrive at the conclusion of bent shape. The issue in my mind is that I don't see why the lone ...
- But A Question Arises
- Unbonded Electron Pairs
- The Bent Water Molecule
All well and good. But the inescapable question arises, “Why is it a bent water molecule and not straight?” What physical and/or chemical principles cause what would seem should be a straight molecule to bend? The answer lies with oxygen’s unbonded electron pairs. What is an unbonded pair?
The oxygen atom center or nucleus ordinarily contains eight protons plus eight neutrons. A proton has a charge of +1 and a neutron of 0. To balance this electrical charge, the oxygen atom also possesses eight negative electrons in orbitals surrounding the nucleus. Quantum enthusiasts will label the electronic structure: 1s² 2s² 2p⁴. Shell one conta...
In view of the above, it becomes apparent the structure of water is much more accurately represented as an oxygen atom attached to two hydrogen atoms and two electron pairs. Notice the essentially tetrahedral layout in the image. Note: You might also enjoy The Dipole Molecule Water – Mickey the Dipole References: 1. London South Bank University: Wa...
The bent shape of the water molecule is critical because the polar \(\ce{O-H}\) bonds do not cancel one another and the molecule as a whole is polar. The figure below illustrates the net polarity of the water molecule. The oxygen is the negative end of the molecule, while the area between the hydrogen atoms is the positive end of the molecule.
eading: Why a Molecule’s Shape MattersEach molecule has a c. racteristic size and shape (see fig. 1). A water molecule, for example, is shaped rougly like a right angle, it’s t. covalent bonds spread apart by 104.5°. Larger molecules, including many of the molecules that make up living organisms (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and ...
The shape of a water molecule (H2O) is bent or V-shaped.. This is due to the fact that there are two pairs of shared electrons (between Hydrogen and Oxygen atoms), and two pairs of unshared or lone pair electrons on the Oxygen atom. Due to the repulsion between these electrons, the molecule takes a bent shape. The bond angle in H2O is about 104 ...
Notice that in this model of a water molecule, the shape is bent. Why? To understand why water has this shape, we need to look even closer – inside the individual atoms – and study the atomic bonds. First, let’s review the components of a single atom. All atoms are made up of three subatomic particles – neutrons, protons, and electrons.
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The bent shape of the water molecule is critical because the polar \(\ce{O-H}\) bonds do not cancel one another and the molecule as a whole is polar. The figure below illustrates the net polarity of the water molecule. The oxygen is the negative end of the molecule, while the area between the hydrogen atoms is the positive end of the molecule.
