In a water molecule (H_2O), after inserting the lone pairs on the oxygen atom, what type of orbitals do these lone pairs occupy?

• A. s atomic orbitals
• B. sp^3 hybrid orbitals
• C. p atomic orbitals
• D. sp^2 hybrid orbitals

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that the oxygen atom in a water molecule has two bonding pairs (with hydrogen atoms) and two lone pairs of electrons.
2. Understand that to explain the shape and bonding in water, oxygen undergoes hybridization, mixing its atomic orbitals to form hybrid orbitals.
3. Identify that oxygen's valence shell has one 2s and three 2p orbitals, which combine to form four equivalent sp\^3 hybrid orbitals.
4. Recognize that these four sp\^3 hybrid orbitals accommodate both the two bonding pairs and the two lone pairs of electrons on oxygen.
5. Conclude that the lone pairs occupy the sp\^3 hybrid orbitals, not pure s or p orbitals, because hybridization explains the observed molecular geometry.