The molecular geometry of HOCl, or hypochlorous acid, is bent or V-shaped. This shape arises from the arrangement of the atoms and the lone pairs of electrons around the central chlorine atom. The chlorine (Cl) atom is bonded to a hydrogen (H) atom and an oxygen (O) atom. The presence of a lone pair of electrons on the chlorine affects the angle between the O-Cl-H bonds, resulting in a bond angle of approximately 104.5 degrees, similar to that of water (H2O).
In terms of polarity, HOCl is considered a polar molecule. This is due to the significant difference in electronegativity between chlorine and oxygen atoms, which creates a dipole moment. The oxygen atom, being more electronegative, attracts the shared electrons more strongly than the chlorine atom, resulting in a partial negative charge on the oxygen and a partial positive charge on the chlorine. The bent shape of the molecule means that these charges do not cancel out, leading to an overall polar character.