In water, the angle between the atoms of Hydrogen and one atom of Oxygen is

Options

A. `180^(@)`
B. `104.5^(@)`
C. `106.5^(@)`
D. `154.8^(@)`

Answer

To determine the angle between the hydrogen atoms and the oxygen atom in a water molecule, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Composition of Water**:
- A water molecule (H₂O) consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

2. **Identify the Bonding**:
- The hydrogen atoms are bonded to the oxygen atom through polar covalent bonds. This occurs because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, resulting in a partial negative charge on the oxygen and partial positive charges on the hydrogen atoms.

3. **Visualize the Molecular Geometry**:
- The molecular geometry of water is bent (or V-shaped) rather than linear. This bent shape is due to the repulsion between the lone pairs of electrons on the oxygen atom.

4. **Determine the Ideal Bond Angle**:
- In an ideal tetrahedral arrangement (which would occur if there were no lone pairs), the bond angle would be 109.5 degrees. However, the presence of the lone pairs on oxygen distorts this angle.

5. **Identify the Actual Bond Angle**:
- The actual bond angle in a water molecule is approximately 104.5 degrees. This is a result of the repulsion between the lone pairs and the bonding pairs of electrons.

6. **Select the Correct Answer**:
- Among the given options (180 degrees, 104.5 degrees, 106.5 degrees, 154.8 degrees), the correct angle between the hydrogen atoms and the oxygen atom in water is **104.5 degrees**.

### Final Answer:
The angle between the atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen in water is **104.5 degrees**.

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