The following is a summary of some of the important properties of water, H₂O

• Bent Structure:
  • H-O-H angle is 105 degrees
  • 2 lone pairs of electrons

• Polar Molecule:
  • Electrons in O-H bond spend more time near oxygen than hydrogen
  • Partial positive charge located hydrogen
  • Partial negative charge located oxygen

• Forms weak interactions between partial positive and partial negative charges: Hydrogen Bonds
  • Not formally a 'real' chemical bond
  • ~1% the strength of a covalent bond (single H-bonds are weak but collections of such bonds are important)

• Model of Liquid Water

• Structure of Solid Water (ice)

 

 

 

 

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Created 09/15/00
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