Lone Pairs

Lone pairs are pairs of electrons that are not involved in chemical bonding and are located in the outer shell of an atom. These unshared electrons can influence an atom's shape and reactivity. For example, in water (H₂O), the oxygen atom has two lone pairs, which affect the molecule's angle and properties. Lone pairs can also participate in chemical reactions, often affecting how molecules interact with one another. Understanding lone pairs is important in chemistry, as they play a key role in determining molecular geometry and the behavior of substances.