Lone pairs in H2O

[allyssa bradley 1H]

Hi guys, maybe this was a topic already covered in lecture, but a previous topic on this board discussed how lone pairs are always put farthest apart to account for repulsion. Why doesn't this apply to the H2O molecule, where 2 are next to each other to make the bent shape?

[Arnav Saud 2C]

I think it still applies to water molecules. Water molecules have two atoms being hydrogen around the central atom and 2 lone pairs. This makes its structure AX2E2 (x=atoms, e= lone pairs). I think for the structure of water, that is just the optimal way it is. The lone pairs repel each other and repel the hydrogens bonded together. It's also why if you look at a structure of water molecule, the lone pairs are at an angle.

[arielle_cunanan3K]

This bent shape does allow the two lone pairs in H2O to be as far away from each other as possible due to the greatest possible bond angle between them.