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 a water molecule (H₂O) can participate, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Structure of Water (H₂O)**:
- Water consists of one oxygen atom covalently bonded to two hydrogen atoms. The molecular structure is bent due to the two lone pairs of electrons on the oxygen atom.

2. **Identify the Lone Pairs**:
- The oxygen atom in H₂O has two lone pairs of electrons. These lone pairs can participate in hydrogen bonding.

3. **Identify the Hydrogen Atoms**:
- Each of the two hydrogen atoms in the H₂O molecule can also form hydrogen bonds with other water molecules.

4. **Count the Possible Hydrogen Bonds**:
- Each of the two lone pairs on the oxygen can form a hydrogen bond with hydrogen atoms from other water molecules. This accounts for 2 hydrogen bonds.
- Additionally, each of the two hydrogen atoms can form hydrogen bonds with the lone pairs of oxygen atoms from other water molecules. This also accounts for 2 hydrogen bonds.

5. **Total Hydrogen Bonds**:
- Therefore, the total number of hydrogen bonds that one H₂O molecule can participate in is:
- 2 (from lone pairs) + 2 (from hydrogen atoms) = 4 hydrogen bonds.

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

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

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