Question

What causes the difference in bond angles in carbon dioxide and water?

Answer 1

I would say the answer is C. The number of lone pairs of electrons on the central atom is greater in the case of water.

Answer 2

Answer is: C) the fact that the number of lone pairs of electrons on the central atom is greater in the case of water.

Carbon(IV) oxide is nonpolar because CO₂ is linear molecule and the oxygen atoms are symmetrical (bond angles 180°).

Water is polar because of the bent shape of the molecule.

Oxygen atom in water molecule has sp3 hybridization. The bond angle between the two hydrogen atoms is approximately 104.45°.

Oxygen atom has atomic number 8, it means it has eight protons and eight electrons, so atom has neutral charge. Oxygen is a nonmetal.

Electron configuration of oxygen atom: ₈O 1s² 2s² 2p⁴.

Oxygen atom has six valence electrons , two lone pairs and two electrons that form two sigma bonds with hydrogen atoms.

Carbon is a chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6, which means it has 6 protons and six electrons. Four valence electrons are in 2s and 2p orbitals.  

Electron configuration of carbon atom: ₆C 1s² 2s² 2p².  

In carbon dioxide, carban has sp hybridization with no lone pairs.