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Question
- describe the cause of the attractions between molecules of water.
Water molecules ($H_2O$) are polar. The oxygen atom has a higher electronegativity than hydrogen. So, the oxygen atom attracts the shared electrons more strongly, creating a partial negative charge ($\delta -$) on the oxygen and partial positive charges ($\delta +$) on the hydrogen atoms. The attraction between the $\delta -$ (oxygen) of one water molecule and the $\delta +$ (hydrogen) of another water molecule is called hydrogen bonding. This is a type of intermolecular force (a force between molecules).
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The attractions between water molecules are due to hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonding occurs because water molecules are polar. The oxygen (more electronegative) has a partial negative charge and hydrogen has partial positive charges. The $\delta -$ (oxygen) of one water molecule is attracted to the $\delta +$ (hydrogen) of another water molecule.