Left diagram: Arrangement of the oxygen atom (O) and the two hydrogen atoms (H) in the water molecule. The angle between the positively charged hydrogen atoms is 105°, which is very close to the angles in a regular tetrahedron (109° 28').

Right diagram: Interaction of two water molecules in the tetrahedral arrangement of the hydrogen bond. The hydrogen atoms of the blue water molecule attach to the red water molecule in such a way that the four hydrogen atoms form a tetrahedron.


© 1996 M. Tomczak

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