Question

Why do water molecules have a slightly positive and negative end?

a) Because the electrons of the hydrogen atoms are shared evenly with the oxygen atom.
b) Because the electrons in the hydrogen atoms are pulled closer to the oxygen atom.
c) Because the electrons in the hydrogen atoms are pulled closer to the hydrogen atoms.
d) Because electrons are not shared when hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms bond to form a water molecule.

Answer 1

Water molecules are polar because the more electronegative oxygen atom attracts the shared electrons more than the hydrogen atoms, resulting in a partial negative charge on the oxygen and a partial positive charge on the hydrogens.

Step-by-step explanation:

Water molecules have a slightly positive and negative end because the oxygen atom's nucleus is more attractive to the hydrogen atoms' electrons than the hydrogen nucleus is to the oxygen's electrons. Due to the higher electronegativity of oxygen compared to hydrogen, the shared electrons spend more time near the oxygen nucleus.

This creates slightly negative and positive charges on the oxygen and hydrogen atoms, respectively, making water a polar molecule. These partial charges allow water to form hydrogen bonds with other polar molecules, which is critical for many biological processes.