Final answer:
The correct answer to the question is C. negative, positive, because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, which results in a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom and a partial positive charge on the hydrogen atoms in a water molecule.
Step-by-step explanation:
The oxygen in water behaves as though it is negative, and the hydrogens behave as though they're positive. Therefore, the correct answer is C. negative, positive. This is because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen and thus pulls the shared electrons closer to itself, leading to a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom and a corresponding partial positive charge on the hydrogen atoms. Water has a bent structure with the oxygen atom at the vertex, and due to this shape and the unequal sharing of electrons, water is a polar molecule with a net dipole pointing towards the oxygen atom.