Why does water (H2O) and carbon dioxide(CO2), have differe?

Question

Why does water and carbon dioxide, have different shapes even though their formulas are very similar?

Answer 1

In terms of hybridization, the oxygen atom(the central atom) in water is sp3 hybridized with a tetrahedral shape. For the central atom in CO2, the carbon, the hybridization is sp2 with a linear shape.
Another way to look at the point is that the central atom in H2O has two bonds(H-O) and two lone pairs of electrons that need space to expand. The carbon atoms has all its electron pairs engaged in the formation of the two C=O double bonds, and hence make it easy for the linear shape to be acquired.

Answer 2

Carbon Dioxide Shape

Answer 3

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RE:
Why does water (H2O) and carbon dioxide(CO2), have differe?
Why does water and carbon dioxide, have different shapes even though their formulas are very similar?

Answer 4

It all has to do with the nature of the atoms.

H wishes to join to 1 bond.
O wishes to join to 2 bonds.
C wishes to join to 4 bonds.

O has 6 valence electrons so if it connects to two hydrogens (creates two bonds for 2 electrons) it will have 4 extra electrons that repel the hydrogens, pushing them downward.

C has 4 valence electrons so if it connects to two oxygens (each wanting 2 bonds each) it will have no electrons left because they have all been used up in the bonds. Since there are not any extra electrons to repel/attract the oxygens, the molecule is perfectly linear.

If you want more information on these shapes, go to the following website or search the internet for Lewis Structures.

Answer 5

I don't think that their formulae r vey similar!

CO2 is a covalent bond held togather by very weak va'nder walls forces that's why it is a gas...

whereas H2O has hydrogen bonds along with va'nder walls forces which make it more stable that's why it is a liquid!

Answer 6

because of electron rejection, the co2 forms a linear molecule ... the h20 forms a pyramid one