Question

Give reasons for the following:

Water molecule has bent structure whereas carbon dioxide molecule is linear.

Answer 1

Due to presence of two lone pairs of electrons on oxygen atom in \[\ce{HiO}\] the repulsion between Ip-lp is more. \[\ce{CO2}\] undergoes sp hybridization resulting in linear shape \[\ce{(O = C = O)}\] while \[\ce{H2O}\] undergoes sp³ hybridisation resulting in distorted tetrahedral or bent structure.