Water molecule structure
Definition
The fixed bent, V-shaped arrangement of water in which two hydrogens sit at about 104.5 degrees from the central oxygen.
Oxygen forms two covalent bonds with hydrogen, but its two lone pairs repel the bonding electrons and bend the molecule rather than letting it lie straight. The bend separates charge in space, making one side permanently positive and the other permanently negative. This geometry is the origin of water’s polarity and its ability to hydrogen bond and dissolve almost anything.
Related concepts
Lone pairs of electrons · Polar molecule · Hydrogen bond
How it connects
Part of The Blueprint of Water · 🧪 chemistry