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Bond-angle laboratory

Measure how electron domains open and compress bond angles.

Live model
OHH

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Water

H2O

Module 4 of 13

0°

Description of this simulation

Water (H2O): Bond-angle laboratory — 104.5°. Two lone pairs compress the H–O–H angle and leave a strong net dipole.

Live result

104.5°

Two lone pairs compress the H–O–H angle and leave a strong net dipole.

Molecule at a glance

Geometry
Bent
Symmetry
C₂v
Polarity
Polar
Bond angle
104.5°

What this model shows — and what it simplifies

Angles are representative equilibrium values from standard structural data; the highlighted value is the characteristic angle around the central atom.

Where do we see this in real life?

Bond angles decide the direction of orbitals and therefore which molecules can collide in the orientation needed for a reaction.

Explain this result