Given below are two statements:

Assertion A: The H–O–H bond angle in water molecule is 104.5°.

Reason R: The lone pair–lone pair repulsion of electrons is higher than the bond pair–bond pair repulsi

Question

Given below are two statements:

Assertion A: The H–O–H bond angle in water molecule is 104.5°.

Reason R: The lone pair–lone pair repulsion of electrons is higher than the bond pair–bond pair repulsion.

Choose the correct answer:

Canvas Classes · Accepted Answer

Step 1 — Evaluate Assertion A:
The H–O–H bond angle in water is 104.5° (less than the tetrahedral angle of 109.5°). This is a well-established fact. A is true ✓

Step 2 — Evaluate Reason R:
According to VSEPR theory, repulsion order is:

The two lone pairs on O repel the bond pairs more strongly than bond pairs repel each other, compressing the H–O–H angle below 109.5°. R is true ✓

Step 3 — Is R the correct explanation of A?
Yes — the large lone pair–lone pair repulsion pushes the bond pairs cl

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