Practice question · Numerical answer
How many electron domains surround the central atom in a water molecule, ?
Hints
- Count bonding domains and lone pairs together.
- Two O-H bonds plus two lone pairs on the oxygen.
Show the answer
4
Why
Water has two bonding domains and two lone pairs, giving 4 domains in total. That is why its underlying arrangement is tetrahedral even though the visible shape is bent.
Practise Molecular Geometry and Polarity
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