Why are the structures of H2S and H2O so similar?
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HOMEWORK HELP > SCIENCE
Explain why molecules of water and hydrogen sulfide have the same shape
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JERICHORAYEL eNotes educator| CERTIFIED EDUCATOR
Looking at the periodic table, both oxygen and sulfur fall on the same group. Having the same group means that they have same valence electrons. Their valence electrons are 6.
Electron configuration of the valence electrons
O = 2s^2 2p^4
S = 3s^2 3p^4
If you will draw their Lewis structures for H2S and H2O, we can see that there are two lone pairs in the central atoms.
..
H-S-H
''
..
H-O-H
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Based on the molecular geometry table (see reference), both of them have 2 bonding electron pair and 2 lone pairs. They both fall to the group AX_2 E_2 which have the shape bent.
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