Final answer:
Water has a high specific heat due to strong hydrogen bonding caused by the polarity of water molecules. This bonding leads to significant cohesion necessitating more energy to increase the water's temperature, as explained by Kinetic Molecular Theory. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Water's High Specific Heat
The concept of high specific heat in water can be attributed to the polarity of water molecules and the phenomenon of hydrogen bonding. Polarity refers to the unequal distribution of charges across a molecule, while hydrogen bonds are weak intermolecular attractions between the hydrogen atom in one water molecule and the oxygen atom in another. Due to these properties, water molecules tend to stick together, creating a significant amount of intermolecular cohesion that requires more energy to overcome when heating the substance.
Kinetic Molecular Theory (KMT) relates to the energy of motion in particles and explains how temperature is indicative of the kinetic energy within a substance. As temperature increases, so does molecular motion. However, in the case of water, the strong hydrogen bonds absorb much of this energy, which means that water's temperature rises more slowly compared to other substances with weaker intermolecular forces. Therefore, water has a high specific heat meaning it can absorb a lot of heat before it starts to get hot.
Answer B encapsulates this concept accurately: Polarity in water molecules results in strong hydrogen bonding, allowing for a high specific heat. The cohesion from hydrogen bonds means that it takes a considerable amount of energy to increase water's temperature, which is why water's specific heat capacity is unusually high.