2006-12-02 05:51:19 · 3 answers · asked by starreyes2000_2000 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
The bonds between hydrogen and oxygen are polar due to the difference in electronegativity between the two atoms. The two polar bonds do not cancel each other because the water molecule has a bent shape, resulting in a dipole.
2006-12-02 05:55:13 · answer #1 · answered by champagne0684 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The oxygen molecule in water has four areas of high electron density--two bonds to hydrogen atoms, and two lone pairs. They try to get as far away from each other as possible, resulting in a tetrahedral arrangement, just like in a 4-bonded carbon, only with lone pairs where two of the bonds should be. That means that the two bonds aren't 180 degrees apart, but 109 degrees. If one of them is below the oxygen and to the left, the other is below and to the right. So when the oxygen pulls electrons away from the hydrogen, the two hydrogens don't cancel each other out. They're both below the oxygen, so overall electrons get pulled up, meaning there's a partial positive charge at the top and partial negative at the bottom.
2006-12-02 13:59:19 · answer #2 · answered by Amy F 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Oxygen and hydrogen have two different electronegativities. The oxygen (3.5) attracts electrons more strongly than the hydrogen (2.1).
2006-12-02 13:55:45 · answer #3 · answered by The Old Professor 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋