Question

The bond angle in water is different from the tetrahedral bond angle. 

1. What is the bond angle and shape of water? 

2. Justify.

Answer 1

1. 104.5° 

2. There are three types of repulsions in water. They are: Ip – Ip repulsion, Ip – bp repulsion and bp – bp repulsion. In order to minimize the stronger Ip- Ip repulsion, the bond angle is reduced to 104.5° from 109.5°. Thus, the shape of water is distorted tetrahedral or angular