Give reasons for the following : Water molecule has bent structure where as CO_(2) has linear structure.

Give reasons for the following : Water molecule has bent structure wh

1.	Give reasons for the following : Water molecule has bent structure where as CO_(2) has linear structure.
Answer» Solution :Oxygen atom is `H_(2)O" is " sp^(3)` hybridised with two lonepairs. Due to greater repulsive force between lone - pair - lone -pair , the bond angle is REDUCED from `109.5^(@) " to " 104.5^(@)` and hence `H_(2)O` molecule acquires a BENT structure. In `CO_(2)` molecule, carbon atom is sp- hybridised . There is nofree electron in `CO_(2)` molecule. The two sp hybrid orbitals are oriented in opposite DIRECTION forming an angle of `180^(@)`. Hence `H_(2)O` has a bent structure and `CO_(2)` has `Ounderset(O^(-))overset(pi" ") = C underset(O^(-))overset(pi" ") = O` linear structure.