The maximum possible number of hydrogen bonds in which an `H_(2)O` molecule can participate is

Options

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

Answer

To determine the maximum possible number of hydrogen bonds in which an H₂O molecule can participate, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Structure of H₂O
- Water (H₂O) consists of one oxygen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms. The oxygen atom has six valence electrons and forms two covalent bonds with the hydrogen atoms.

**Hint:** Recall the molecular structure of water and the bonding nature of oxygen and hydrogen.

### Step 2: Identify Lone Pairs on Oxygen
- The oxygen atom in H₂O has two lone pairs of electrons. These lone pairs are crucial because they can participate in hydrogen bonding.

**Hint:** Remember that lone pairs can interact with hydrogen atoms of other molecules to form hydrogen bonds.

### Step 3: Determine Hydrogen Bonding Capacity
- Each hydrogen atom in H₂O can form a hydrogen bond with a highly electronegative atom (like oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine) from another molecule. In the case of H₂O, each hydrogen can form one hydrogen bond.

**Hint:** Consider how many hydrogen atoms are present in the H₂O molecule and their bonding capabilities.

### Step 4: Calculate Total Hydrogen Bonds
- In total, the H₂O molecule has:
- 2 hydrogen atoms, each capable of forming 1 hydrogen bond.
- 2 lone pairs on the oxygen atom, which can also form hydrogen bonds with hydrogen atoms from other H₂O molecules.

Thus, the total number of hydrogen bonds that one H₂O molecule can participate in is:
- 2 (from the two hydrogen atoms) + 2 (from the two lone pairs on oxygen) = 4 hydrogen bonds.

**Hint:** Sum up the contributions from both the hydrogen atoms and the lone pairs to find the total.

### Conclusion
The maximum possible number of hydrogen bonds in which an H₂O molecule can participate is **4**.

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