Polarity of Water Molecule Explained

Water is a polar molecule and has a net dipole. If we look at the Lewis structure for water, we can determine that the molecular geometry of the water molecule is bent.

Because H2O has a bent molecular geometry it has a side with the O atom and a side with the H atoms. The electrons in the covalent bond between the O and H atoms aren’t shared equally. They spend more time around the O than with the H atoms. And because electrons are negative, the O becomes a bit more negative. That means the H atoms are more positive. We have poles. So water is a polar molecule.

The polarity of water is responsible for many of it's chemical and physical proprieties.

Looking at the Periodic table for electronegativity values for H and O, we see Oxygen has a value of 3.5. In the case of the water molecule, hydrogen is further away and is 2.1. So the the electrons shared in the bonds between the O atom and the H atoms will spend more time around the O atom.

More Learning Resources

Chapters:

0:00 Intro & Lewis Structure
0:25 Electronegativity Difference and Polarity
1:08 Molecular Geometry Visualized
1:45 Polarity Visualized

[smc]

Dr. B I love your videos! I've been using them as additional study material and you are so clear with your explanations. So far I'm doing well in my class, I have an A, along with the help of your videos. Can you make some videos covering the different gas laws and gas stoichiometry? I still have a few uncertainties with them at times

[priyeshajha]

Your videos have been so helpful for me! Kudos for creating awesome content ❤️

[rumanaparvez]

Good night sir and do a experiment on converting nitrogen gas to liquid

[mariahelena]

hi! i've got a question, i understood that for a molecule to be polar the atoms need to have different electronegativity values, but how much different do these values need to be for it to be polar?

[elgammalshahd]

Do an experiment on cooling nitrogen gas and converting it to liquid

[MadScientist]

I'm still a little confused but I gotta say if I'm gonna figure it out, you'll probably have the angle that reaches me lol

I'll say I have a better understanding than before at least 😁