Question

The central atom of methane and water is in the same state of hybridization, but the shapes of the two molecules are different. Discuss.

Answer 1

$C{H}_4$ and $H_{2}O$ both has $s{p}^3$ hybridisation but as there is no lone pair present in $C{H}_4$ whereas in $H_{2}O$ there are two lone pairs present in water molecule. Therefore shape of methane is tetrahedral whereas water molecule has bent shape.