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The oxygen atom has a greater electronegativity than the hydrogen atom, which means that the oxygen atom has a greater attraction for electrons than the hydrogen atom. Because of this, the oxygen atom develops a slight negative charge and each hydrogen atom develops a slight positive charge.

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11y ago
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9y ago

This questions refers to the special 'bent' geometry of the H2O (water) molecule. This is because the electronegative nature of water's oxygen atoms create a dipole moment, or partial negative charge and the resulting shape.

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14y ago

Your question is somewhat misleading.....

The covalent bond between the 2 H's and the oxygen implies sharing electrons

So they do in fact share electrons but..... The oxygen is going to hold most of the electrons closer to itself because of it's electronegativity and Hydrogens lack of...

Which allows for the dipoles involved with hydrogen bonding in water

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15y ago

The water molecule becomes polar, with the oxygen end being very negative and the hydrogen end positive.

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12y ago

It does share because between there realationship the 2 H's and the oxygen recieves sharing electrons so basically they do it's just that oxygen holds the bigger amout.

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11y ago

I cry in the shower with my teddy bear and Justin Bieber lifesize cardboard cutout.

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10y ago

This is due to the electron configuration of the oxygen atom. Please see the link.

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12y ago

a polar bond.

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Q: Why don't the hydrogen and oxygen atoms don't share electrons equally in a water molecule?
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What is polarity in a water molecule?

The oxygen and hydrogen in water are bonded by a covalent bond. This means that the two lone lone electrons of hydrogen are shared with oxygen. Oxygen has a tendency to "hoard" electrons. So when it bonds with the hydrogen the two shared electrons are closer to the oxygen than to the hydrogen. As a result one side of water(the one with the oxygen) becomes slightly negative due to the fact that the oxygen has the two electrons closer to it. The side of the hydrogen becomes slightly positive as a result. When two or more molecules of water are placed together the slightly negatively charged oxygen from one molecule attracts the slightly positively charged hydrogen from another molecule forming a weak hydrogen bond. this hydrogen bond is formed as a result of the polarity of water.


Why are water molecules polar?

A water molecule is polar because there is an uneven distribution of electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atomsAnswerA water molecule is polar because there is an uneven distribution of electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. The negative pole is near the oxygen atom and the positive pole is between the hydrogen atoms.


What property of oxygen makes it share electrons unequally with hydrogen atoms?

Oxygen atoms have a greater electronegativity than hydrogen atoms. Electronegativity is the ability of an atom in a molecule to attract electrons to itself.


What happens when shared electrons between hydrogen and oxygen spend more time orbiting the oxygen than the hydrogen and what effect does this have on water molecules?

If you think of it in terms of time, the electrons always spend more on the oxygen. This creates polar bonds, and as the molecule is not symmetrical, it means that the whole molecule is polar.


Is A water molecule is polar?

A water molecule is polar because there is an uneven distribution electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. The negative pole is near the oxygen atom and the positive pole is between the hydrogen ofatoms.

Related questions

Hydrogen and oxygen are what type of bonds?

Polar Covalent Bond. This is when a pair of electrons is shared between two atoms in a molecule but the electrons are not equally shared. Because the Oxygen atom has a stronger pull on the electrons than the Hydrogen, the electrons will be more drawn to the Oxygen atom.


What kind of charge is found on the oxygen atom of polar water molecule?

In a water molecule, the oxygen atom shares electrons with two hydrogen atoms, but it does not share equally since it has a stronger attraction for electrons than the hydrogen atom does, and the electrons therefore have a greater probability of being close to the oxygen nucleus than to the hydrogen nuclei. As a result, the oxygen atom has a negative charge. The hydrogen atoms are positively charged.


What type of bonds are oxygen and oxygen?

Polar Covalent Bond. This is when a pair of electrons is shared between two atoms in a molecule but the electrons are not equally shared. Because the Oxygen atom has a stronger pull on the electrons than the Hydrogen, the electrons will be more drawn to the Oxygen atom.


Why dont hydrogen and oxygen atoms share electrons equally in a water molecule?

Because the electronegativity of oxygen is about 3.5 and the electronegativity of hydrogen is about 2.5. So, the electrons shared in this polar covalent bond spend more time in the orbitals around oxygen that the orbitals around hydrogen giving the molecule slightly negative and positive ends.


How many electrons does a water molecule have?

A molecule of of H2O has 10 electrons: two from the hydrogen and 8 from the oxygen.


What is polarity in a water molecule?

The oxygen and hydrogen in water are bonded by a covalent bond. This means that the two lone lone electrons of hydrogen are shared with oxygen. Oxygen has a tendency to "hoard" electrons. So when it bonds with the hydrogen the two shared electrons are closer to the oxygen than to the hydrogen. As a result one side of water(the one with the oxygen) becomes slightly negative due to the fact that the oxygen has the two electrons closer to it. The side of the hydrogen becomes slightly positive as a result. When two or more molecules of water are placed together the slightly negatively charged oxygen from one molecule attracts the slightly positively charged hydrogen from another molecule forming a weak hydrogen bond. this hydrogen bond is formed as a result of the polarity of water.


Which kind of electrical charge is found on oxygen atom of a polar water molecule?

A negative charge that exists because of a covalent bond with hydrogen


Why does the oxygen in a water molecule have a negative charge?

Oxygen attracts electrons more strongly than hydrogen does.


What is the bond between the hydrogen atoms of hydrogen gas in which electrons are shared equally?

In a water molecule, oxygen (which is a quite more electronegative than hydrogen), tends to attract electrons close to it, so it gets a residual negative charge, while hydrogen gets positively charged.That's the reason why water has a high boiling temperature, because water molecules establish electrostatic bonds, between the oxygen and hydrogen from different molecules, creating a kind of net of interactions, which make it harder to evaporate it.


How much electrons are there in one molecule of water?

10 (2 for hydrogen+8 for oxygen)


What makes water a excellent solvent?

Water is a good solvent due to its polarity. The single Oxygen molecule and two Hydrogen molecules do not share electrons equally, the Oxygen molecule takes precedent over the Hydrogen molecules. The Polarity and in some small part, the small molecular size makes water the, "Universal Solvent".


Why is water a polar molecule?

The water is a polar molecule because it is not equally charged. Its half side has a positive charge and the other half has a negative charge. because the electrons spend more of their time with the oxygen and not with hydrogen and due to this they get more negative charge and due to this the water is a polar molecule.---------------------------------------------------------------1. The water molecule is not linear.2. Oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen.3. As a consequence the hydrogen atoms are slightly positive and the molecule is polar.