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Chapter 11: Problem 121

If water were a linear molecule, (a) would it still be polar, and (b) would the water molecules still be able to form hydrogen bonds with one another?

Short Answer

Expert verified
If water were a linear molecule, (a) it would still be polar due to the difference in electronegativity between oxygen and hydrogen atoms, and (b) water molecules would still be able to form hydrogen bonds with each other as the necessary elements for hydrogen bonding (hydrogen and electronegative atoms like oxygen) would still be present.

Step by step solution

01

Evaluate Polarity of Linear Water Molecules

The water molecule consists of two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to an oxygen atom. The oxygen atom attracts more electrons than hydrogen because of its higher electronegativity and hence, creates a net dipole moment within the water molecule. If water were linear (180 degrees bond angle), oxygen would still be more electronegative. The electrons would still be drawn more closely to the oxygen atom, creating positive and negative poles across the molecule. Thus, water would still be polar.
02

Evaluate Hydrogen Bond Formation

Hydrogen bonds form between an electronegative atom of one molecule and a hydrogen atom in another molecule. In a water molecule, these bonds form between the oxygen atom of one molecule and the hydrogen atom of another. If water were a linear molecule, it would still contain oxygen and hydrogen atoms. These atoms could still form a hydrogen bond with another electronegative atom (like oxygen in another water molecule), but the arrangement and number of these bonds might not be the same as in the bent structure of normal water molecules.

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