If VSEPR is based on the repulsion of electrons, why does a bent tetrahedral molecule like water have a smaller angle (104.5) compared to a normal tetrahedral molecule like CH4 (109.5)? Shouldn't the repulsion of the electrons in H2O increase the angle?
The lone pair pushes harder, making the angle less. In other words, its bent more from a lone pair than it would be if there had been a bonding pair in the same location.
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