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  4. H-O-H bond angle in H2 O is 104.5° and not 109° 28 because of:

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Q. $H-O-H$ bond angle in $H_{2} O$ is $104.5^{\circ}$ and not $109^{\circ} 28$ because of:

Haryana PMTHaryana PMT 2002

Solution:

The hybridisation of oxygen in water molecule is $s p^{3}$ so water must be tetrahedral and have bond angle $109^{\circ} 28$. But due to the presence of two lone pair of electrons on oxygen atom (repulsion between lone pair-lone pair) the bond angle decreases about $104.5^{\circ}$ and the geometry becomes distorted tetrahedral or $V$-shape