Biology

Bethany Gentry

28 July, 15:14

A water molecule, shown below, is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom arranged in a bent shape. Since oxygen is significantly more electronegative than hydrogen, oxygen atoms have a much stronger attraction to shared electrons than hydrogen atoms have. This unequal sharing of electrons and bent shape results in a polar molecule. The oxygen end of the molecule has a slightly negative charge while the hydrogen ends of the molecule have a slightly positive charge. The composition and polar covalent nature of water allow water molecules to form with