Q12.69P
Question
A water molecule can engage in as many as four H bonds. Explain.
Step-by-Step Solution
Verified Answer
A water molecule can engage as many as four H-bonds. This is because of the presence of two electron-donating H atoms and two electron-donating lone pairs of oxygen atoms.
1Water molecule
A water molecule is a bent structure that consists of two oxygen lone pairs of electrons and two electron-accepting H-atoms.
2Number of bonds
The electronegative oxygen present in a water molecule consists of two non-bonded lone pairs of electrons which can be used to donate the electron pairs to other nearby molecules. The two H-atoms present can be used for bonding with other electronegative atoms nearby.
Hence, water can engage a maximum of four bonds.
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