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H20



hbonding.png

Which diagram is the correct one?

Is there only 1 dotted line showing attraction to lone pair or two?
Reply 1
Avatar for freetown
freetown
6
Original post by Tynos
X



I would say the first one if you included a LP of e-s just to be safe.

EDIT:

For the second image maybe this picture on Wikipedia will help show you why both H atoms will not go to the same Oxygen atom (Well that it how I learnt it at as :tongue:)

705px-Hex_ice.GIF
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 2
Avatar for Kyri
Kyri
15
The first diagram is correct. The water molecules want to minimise their overall energy by forming as many hydrogen bonds as possible. This means it's one H-bond per H or lone pair allowing each water molecule to form 4 hydrogen bonds.
Reply 3
Avatar for Tynos
Tynos
OP
2
Ahh, thank you guys.
Reply 4
Avatar for illusionz
illusionz
20
Original post by Tynos
Ahh, thank you guys.


If the second diagram were the case, then geometry dictates the hydrogen bond would have to be the same length as the H-O covalent bond, which we know is not the case.

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