Explain why water molecules form on average two hydrogen bonds per molecule, whereas ammonia molecules (NH3) form only one.

A hydrogen bond requires both a lone pair of electrons on a O, N or F atom and a hydrogen atom. In water there are two lone pairs and two hydrogen atoms, allowing the formation of two hydrogen bonds. In ammonia, although there are three hydrogen atoms, there is only one lone pair of electrons on the N, and this means that only one hydrogen bond can form per molecule.

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

Explain trend in why the ionisation energies increase across the period


A naturally occurring sample of the element boron has a relative atomic mass of 10.8 In this sample, boron exists as two isotopes. Calculate the percentage abundance of 10B in this naturally occurring sample of boron.


State in terms of its bonding why benzene is more stable than cyclohexa-1,3,5-triene:


What is meant by the term optical isomerism?