Final answer:
Water's bent molecular shape is due to the repulsion between the two lone electron pairs on the oxygen atom, while its polarity results from oxygen's higher electronegativity compared to hydrogen. Option B: Water’s oxygen has lone electron pairs that repel each other.
Step-by-step explanation:
Water has a bent geometry which is a consequence of the lone electron pairs on the central oxygen atom. These lone pairs repel each other as well as the bonded hydrogen atoms, resulting in a v-shaped or bent structure. The polar nature of water is due to the oxygen atom being more electronegative than the hydrogen atoms, drawing the shared electrons closer to itself. This uneven distribution of electron density creates a partial negative charge on the oxygen and a partial positive charge on the hydrogen atoms, leading to a permanent dipole with a negative end near the oxygen and a positive end between the hydrogens.