For the following question , kindly indicate the correct option and explanation.
The maximum number of water molecules that one water molecule can hold through hydrogen bonding is a) 2 b) 4 c) 6 d) 8
Ans: 4
In one water molecule, two H atoms can be involved in two H-bonds with neighbourhood O atoms. In the same water molecule, O atom has two lone pair of electrons. There can be two H-bonds with O atom with neighbourhood H atoms.
There can be 4 max. such bonds per molecule with 4 water molecules. Note that due to thermal energy a particular H-bond has a short life span and the average can go even below 3 though max. is 4.