The steric number for a compound like Water (H2O) is useful for determining the molecular geometry of a molecule as well as its hybridization.

For H2O, we can determine the steric number by counting the number of electron domains around the central O atom. We count both atoms bonded to the Oxygen atom as well as lone pairs around the atom.

For Water, there are two Hydrogen (H) atoms bonded to the central Oxygen. There are two lone pairs (unbonded pairs) of electrons on the Oxygen. This gives us a Steric Number of four.

A steric number of four, with two lone pairs, means that H2O will have a bent or V-shaped molecular geometry. It also means the hybridization on the Oxygen atom will be sp3 hybrid orbitals.

Water Lewis Structure/ Molecular Geometry: [ Ссылка ]

Additional information on Steric Number and Molecular Geometry: [ Ссылка ]

More chemistry help at [ Ссылка ].

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