What is the shape of water molecule
The water molecule has a bent or "V" shape, with the two hydrogen atoms bonded to the oxygen atom at an angle of approximately 104.5 degrees.
The shape of a water molecule is known as bent or V-shaped. This shape is due to the arrangement of the atoms and the pairs of electrons around the central oxygen atom.
To understand how to determine the shape of a water molecule, we can use the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory. It states that the electron pairs around a central atom will arrange themselves as far apart as possible to minimize repulsion.
In the case of a water molecule, there are two bonds formed by the oxygen atom, each bond consisting of one oxygen-hydrogen covalent bond. Additionally, there are two pairs of unshared electrons on the oxygen atom. These unshared electron pairs tend to repel more strongly than the shared electron pairs in the bond.
As a result, the two hydrogen atoms are arranged in a V-shaped or bent configuration, with an angle of approximately 104.5 degrees between them. This angle is slightly less than the ideal tetrahedral angle of 109.5 degrees due to the repulsion between the unshared electron pairs.
In summary, the shape of a water molecule is bent or V-shaped, with an angle of approximately 104.5 degrees between the hydrogen atoms.