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Why is the bond angle of water molecule 109 and not 180?

Best Answers

The bond angle of water is 104.45 (degrees). A very simplified answer not involving molecular orbitals: On the left is he carbon dioxide molecule. The carbon atom forms a double bond with each of the oxygen molecule. The bond angle is 180. read more

Indeed, the bond angle of a methane (CH4) molecule is 109.5. However, the bond angle of water is not 109.5 degree. The lone pair exerts greater repulsion against other electron pairs, as compared to a bond pair. read more

109.5 Degrees. Water has two bonds to hydrogen on the oxygen molecule, but it also has two lone pairs. Since there are four electron domains, the domain geometry is tetrahedral, so the angles between them are 109.5. read more

Water is not an sp3 hybrid, and the bond angle isn’t 104.5 because of lone pair repulsion. In a water molecule each proton forms a sigma bond to a p orbital on the oxygen, giving an ideal bond angle of 90 degrees. read more

Further Research

The Chemical Bond
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