Final answer:
Oxygen with 2 lone pairs typically exhibits sp³ hybridization, leading to a tetrahedral arrangement with slightly reduced bond angles, such as 104.5° observed in water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hybridization of an oxygen atom with 2 lone pairs is typically sp³. This is seen in water (H₂O), where the oxygen atom has two bonding pairs and two lone pairs of electrons. The sp³ hybridization results in a tetrahedral arrangement, but because lone pairs occupy more space than bonding pairs, the actual bond angles are slightly less than the ideal 109.5°. In water, the observed bond angle is 104.5°.
Examples of other molecules featuring sp³ hybridization include carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄), phosphorus trichloride (PCl₃), and nitrogen trichloride (NCl₃). The designation AX₂E₂ refers to a molecule with two atoms attached to the central atom (A) and two lone pairs (E₂), exemplifying the molecule's geometry.