What is the molecular shape of a water molecule and why?

Answer 1

Around the Oxygen atom in the water molecule are pieces: 2 hydrogen atoms and 2 pairs of extra valence electrons. Each piece repels each other piece, so they try to get as far away from each other as possible. The resulting geometry is called a tetrahedron (picture a 4-sided pyramid with a triangular base) with the oxygen at the center. When we draw the water molecule, usually we don't draw the 2 pairs of valence electrons, so the molecule looks like a V.

note: because of the differing repulsive forces between a pair of valence electrons and a hydrogen atom, the actual geometry is not a perfect tetrahedron (central angle 109.47°), but very close (H2O central angle is 104.45°).

Answer 2

The molecular shape of a water molecule is "bent", almost looking like the letter "V", with hydrogen (H) at each end, and oxygen (O) at the bottom point. It is this way because of the arrangements of electrons around the oxygen, and the repulsion of electrons in the molecule. If you look at VSEPR, and molecular geometry, you will get a better understanding of why it is shaped the way it is.

Answer 3

A water molecule has an Oxygen atom at a vertex attached to two hydrogen atoms. The hydrogen atoms are at a distance of approximately 0.96 Angstrom units. The angle between the two O-H bonds is 104.45 degrees.

Answer 4

The shape of molecules is determined by repulsion between the electron pairs of the valence shell attached to the central atom, in this case oxygen. There are two types of electron pairs: bond pairs where the electron density is along the line connecting the nuclei of the two bonded atoms, and lone pairs, where the lobe of electron density is attached only to the central atom. Because a lone pair is only held by one nucleus, more of its density is drawn towards that end, whereas bond pairs have their density more evenly distributed (depending on the electronegativies of both atoms in the bond). If, as a first approximation, we consider all electron pairs repelling each other equally, we can predict the general shape of a molecule because we know the electrons will get as far apart as possible. Two electron pairs will be linear, three will be planar at 120 degrees, four will point to the vertices of a tetrahedron and so on. In water there are four electron pairs around the oxygen atom, two bond pairs and two lone pairs, so the shape is roughly tetrahedral. This would give a bond angle of 109.5 degrees (approx). In fact it is smaller than this, 104.5 degrees. This is because there is greater repulsion between lone pairs than between bond pairs, so the hydrogens are forced closer together.

Answer 5

Water is v shaped because of the negative charges in the O-H bonds. This along with the O bond causes the V shape of the water molecule.

Answer 6

Yes it is. The oxygen (O) has a slightly negative charge and the hydrogen (H) have slightly positive charges. The shape of the molecule is angular.

Answer 7

the shape of water molecule is bent rather than linear because repulsive forces between unshared pairs of electron.

Answer 8

Water has a bent shape because of the two lone pairs of electrons on the oxygen atom.

Answer 9

The general description is "bent". The H-O-H angle is about 104.5 degrees. (The atoms are coplanar because ANY three points are coplanar.)

Answer 10

bent