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Why is water a polar covalent molecule?
AIt has no electrons in standard practice by common convention
BHydrogen is more electronegative than oxygen
COxygen attracts shared electrons more than hydrogen, giving partial charges
DWater has only ionic bonds across all cases
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Oxygen attracts shared electrons more than hydrogen, giving partial charges
1. Polarity arises from a difference in electronegativity.
2. Oxygen (3.44) is far more electronegative than hydrogen (2.2).
3. So shared electrons sit closer to oxygen than to hydrogen.
4. Oxygen carries a partial negative; hydrogens carry partial positives.
5. The bent shape makes the molecule overall polar.
6. So water is a polar covalent molecule.
_Source: Selina Concise Chemistry ICSE Class 10, Ch 2 'Chemical Bonding'_
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