Difference between number of hydrogen bonds formed and number of hydrogen bonds in a molecule [closed]








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I would like to know how to count the number of hydrogen bonds formed in a molecule and the number of hydrogen bonds that a molecule has. For example, water forms two hydrogen bonds with its two hydrogen atoms, while accepting two hydrogen bonds from other molecules' hydrogen atoms, which makes a water molecule have four hydrogen bonds.But some molecules such as ammmonia have only one lone pair at the electronegative atom, while the number of hydrogen atoms in the molecule is higher than the number of receptors in the molecule, while in some cases, the number of lone pairs in the electronegative atom is higher than the number of hydrogen atoms? How do I find the number of hydrogen bonds formed? How do I find the total number of hydrogen bonds in a molecule?




The number of hydrogen bonds formed by an atom depend on several factos:


1. Presence of small, highly electronegative elements ($\ce{O}$,$\ce{F}$,$\ce{N}$, and sometimes $\ce{Cl}$)
2. Number of hydrogens covalently bonded to such elements
3. Spatial considerations
4. State-dependent factors (Temperature, Pressure, etc.)


You are confusing covalent bonds present in water with hydrogen bonds. In the stucture ice (phase?), each water molecule does form four hydrogen bonds in a tetrahedral geometry ([wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_bond)).


You may also find this [article](https://techiescientist.com/does-nh3-have-hydrogen-bonding/#:%7E:text=Hydrogen%20bonding%20is%20the%20intermolecular%20forces%20acting%20between,partial%20positive%20charge%20develops%20on%20the%20hydrogen%20atom.) useful.


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