For the Series Methane, Ammonia, and Water, the Bond Angle

Multiple Choice

For the series methane, ammonia, and water, the bond angle increases in the following order: H₂O  NH₃  CH₄. This trend is due to ________

A) a decreasing effective nuclear charge.
B) a decrease in the number of lone pairs.
C) an increase in atomic radius.
D) an increase in the polarity of the molecules.
E) an increasing effective nuclear charge.