Final answer:
The part of a water molecule nearest the oxygen atom carries a slight negative charge due to the polar nature of water as electrons are more attracted to oxygen than to the hydrogen atoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The part of a water molecule nearest the oxygen atom and farthest away from the hydrogen atoms has a slight negative charge. This is due to the polar nature of the water molecule, where the shared electrons spend more time with the oxygen atom compared to the hydrogen atoms, as oxygen has a higher electronegativity. This results in an uneven distribution of charges, making the oxygen end of the molecule slightly negative and the hydrogen end slightly positive, which contributes to the unique properties of water, such as its ability to dissolve other polar substances like sugars that are hydrophilic.