Polarity in water molecule and electronegativity of oxygen in that molecule.

In summary: When hydrogen has 1 proton, it only has 1 electron. So, when you mix them together, the oxygen atom grabs hold of 1 of the electrons from the hydrogen atom, leaving the hydrogen atom with 1 less electron than it had before!
  • #1
AakashPandita
157
0
H20 is polar in nature.
It is fundamentally because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen and the shared electrons tend to be near oxygen.
This may be because the atomic number of oxygen is more than that of hydrogen.
But in the bond I don't understand how the 2 shared electrons experience more force from the oxygen side than they do from the hydrogen side.
As the 2 electrons are experiencing the force of 2 protons from both the sides.
Are you getting it, what I am trying to convey?
 
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  • #2
AakashPandita said:
As the 2 electrons are experiencing the force of 2 protons from both the sides.

Oxygen has more than 1 proton. Because of this, the nucleus of oxygen has a greater affinity for electrons than hydrogen.
 
  • #3
It is to do with ionization energies. When you go from left to right (and up) you encounter smaller atoms. Which means that the proximity of their electrons is a lot closer than a larger atom. Due to the fact that the Oxygen electrons are a lot closer to the nucleus of the atom a higher amount of energy is required to pull them apart. :) Hope this helped
 
  • #4
Also, as Matt states, the oxygen is closer to each hydrogen atom than each hydrogen atom is to each other. Each OH bond in H2O is ≈95.84 pm. The bond angle is 104.45°, making the hydrogen atoms 177.38 pm apart.
 
  • #5
MattA147 said:
Due to the fact that the Oxygen electrons are a lot closer to the nucleus of the atom
Why? This I am not able to understand.
 
  • #6
Well, most of an atom's size is taken up by it's electron cloud. Having more protons means wanting more electrons. Oxygen's atomic number is 8, so it has 8 protons and 8 electrons in ground state. Hydrogen only has 1 proton, so it only has 1 electron. And more electrons means a larger atom.
 
  • #7
why closer?
 
  • #8
In short, so it doesn't get too confusing:

500px-Electron_shell_001_Hydrogen.svg.png
500px-Electron_shell_008_Oxygen.svg.png
 

What is the polarity of a water molecule?

The polarity of a water molecule refers to the unequal distribution of charge within the molecule. This is due to the difference in electronegativity between oxygen and hydrogen atoms, resulting in a slightly negative charge on the oxygen atom and a slightly positive charge on the hydrogen atoms.

How does the polarity of a water molecule affect its properties?

The polarity of a water molecule makes it a polar solvent, meaning it can dissolve other polar substances such as salts and sugars. It also allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with each other, giving water its high surface tension and specific heat capacity.

What is electronegativity and how does it relate to oxygen in a water molecule?

Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons towards itself in a covalent bond. Oxygen has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen, so it pulls the shared electrons in a water molecule closer to itself, resulting in a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom.

Why is oxygen considered the most electronegative element in a water molecule?

Oxygen is considered the most electronegative element in a water molecule because it has a higher electronegativity value (3.44 on the Pauling scale) compared to hydrogen (2.20 on the Pauling scale). This means that oxygen has a stronger pull on the shared electrons in the molecule.

How does the electronegativity of oxygen in a water molecule contribute to its role as a universal solvent?

The high electronegativity of oxygen in a water molecule allows it to form strong hydrogen bonds with other polar substances. This makes water an effective solvent, as it can break apart the bonds between solute molecules and surround them with its polar water molecules.

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