Why is water polar based on oxygen's pull on electrons as compared to Hydrogen's?

1 Answer
anor277
Sep 15, 2016

Because the oxygen atom in water tends to polarize electron density towards itself.

Explanation:

Because of the high nuclear charge of the oxygen atom, it tends to polarize electron density. The result is a molecule we could represent as #""^(delta+)H-^(delta-)O-^(delta+)H#, i.e. a dipole.

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