Question

In solid ice, oxygen atoms are surrounded by?
A. Tetrahedrally by 4 hydrogen atoms.
B. Octahedrally by 2 oxygen and 4 hydrogen atoms.
C. Tetrahedrally by 2 hydrogen and 2 oxygen atoms.
D. Octahedrally by 6 hydrogen atoms.

Answer 1

Solid ice has a very highly ordered and loose structure in which oxygen is surrounded by four hydrogen atoms.

Complete Step By Step Solution:
In the solid ice, intermolecular interactions are very high which leads to a highly ordered and loose structure in which each oxygen atom is surrounded by four hydrogen atoms.
Two of these hydrogen atoms are covalently bonded to the oxygen atom, and the two others (at longer distances) are hydrogen bonded to the oxygen atom’s unshared electron pairs.
Therefore, the oxygen atom is surrounded tetrahedrally by 4 hydrogen atoms.
So the correct option is (1).

Additional Information:
The open structure of ice makes its density to be less than that of the liquid state, in which the ordered structure is partially broken down and the water molecules are closer together.

Note:
When water freezes so many structures are possible depending upon the conditions. Total nine structures are possible.