2006-09-18 11:13:04 · 11 answers · asked by Temilola S 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
It has a positive end and a negative end.
Oxygen is more electronegative, so pulls the electron cloud away from the hydrogens. So the hydrogens become more positive and the oxygen more negative.
2006-09-18 11:16:10 · answer #1 · answered by Hairyloon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Water consists of two hydrogen atoms attached via electron orbitals (or electron clouds as some people have called them :) ) to the oxygen atom. The oxygens orbitals are aligned in such a way that the two hydrogen atoms for a V shape.
Now the oxygen having the larger electon orbital has the higher probability of containing the electron near it in the joined form of that orbital compared to the hydrogen atoms. So it ends up with a higher negative charge.
This leaves the positive nuclei of the hydrogen atoms slightly exposed and hence with a positive charge.
Because to the angle of the molecule this creates the bi-polar affect and the ability of other charges to affect the direction the water molecules point in.
Hopefully that made sense :S
2006-09-22 01:41:36 · answer #2 · answered by Richard M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As you probably know a water molecule is made up of 2 hydrogen atoms, and 1 oxygen atom. The oxygen atom is found in the middle situated between the two hydrogen atoms, however they are not aligned in a straight line: the two hydrogen atoms "buckle" downwards (see below link for image of water molecule).
A strange phenomenon exists in chemistry: not all nucleus' have the same electrostatic attraction for their electrons. Chemists call this attraction "electronegativity", and a nucleus with a strong attraction for its electrons is said to be "highly electronegative".
So how does this relate to water being polar?
An oxygen atom's nucleus is more electronegative than a hydrogen atom's nucleus; as a result the electrons are not being shared fairly. Electrons carry a negative charge, and this unequal distribution of negativity gives the water molecule its polarity: the oxygen side is slightly more negative than the side of the 2 hydrogens.
BTW, if water was a linear molecule like CO2 the two unequal distributions of negativity would cancel each other out. Luckily water is'nt a linear molecule: it's buckled (called "non-linear bent") making it polar leading to its fantastic properties that keep me alive! Haleula!
2006-09-18 11:46:14 · answer #3 · answered by theBoyLakin 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Water is a polar molecule because the positive charges from 2 hydrogen atoms are at one end of the molecule and the negatively charged oxygen is at the other end of the molecule.
2006-09-18 11:18:36 · answer #4 · answered by Matt 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A polar molecule means it has positive and negative parts. Oxygen is an electronegative atom, so in water it draws the electrons away from the hydrogens. So oxygen becomes more negatively charged than the hydrogens leading to polarity.
2006-09-18 23:45:41 · answer #5 · answered by Ellie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the charge on the molecule is not evenly distributed.
If placed in an electric field the molecules will tend to align with the field.
A similar effect can be seen if a narrow stream of water is allowed to fall and a charged item (a plastic ruler which has been rubbed against wool to build up a static charge for example) is held close to it. The stream of water can be seen to be deflected due to the molecules aligning with the field and being attracted to the charged item. Since the molecules are free to rotate they will in general always rotate such that They are attracted as this will minimise the potential energy.
2006-09-18 11:27:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Water is described as a polar molecule becos it has to sides :the positive side and the negative side. water is thought of to be polar because of the uneven sharing of its electrons
Polarity refers to the dipole-dipole intermolecular forces between the slightly positively-charged end of one molecule to the negative end of another or the same molecule
2006-09-19 08:03:49 · answer #7 · answered by Neyo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The high negativity of the oxygen atom draws the electron cloud and causes the hydrogen atoms to gather asymmetrically off the equator or the larger oxygen atom. This forms a molecule shaped thus (ignore the dots):
...O...
.h...h.
2006-09-18 11:26:38 · answer #8 · answered by blank 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because the covelant bonds between the oxygen atom and the 2 hydrogens are polar.
this means they have a slight charge because they electrons are more attracted to the oxygen making it slightly negative and the hydrogens slightly positive
2006-09-19 05:43:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do your own damn homework!
2006-09-18 11:21:12 · answer #10 · answered by Darren R 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋