Which statement best describes water as a molecule?

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Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes water as a molecule?

Water stands out because of its polarity. The oxygen atom pulls electron density toward itself in the O–H bonds, and the molecule has a bent shape around the oxygen. This combination creates an uneven distribution of charge, with a partial negative charge on the oxygen and partial positive charges on the hydrogens, giving water a net dipole moment. That polarity explains many of water’s key behaviors, like its ability to dissolve many substances and to form hydrogen bonds between molecules. The other descriptions don’t fit: ionic lattices are typical of salts with strong electrostatic attractions between oppositely charged ions; metallic bonds involve a sea of electrons shared by metal atoms; water is not nonpolar because the molecule has a significant dipole due to its shape and bond polarity.

Water stands out because of its polarity. The oxygen atom pulls electron density toward itself in the O–H bonds, and the molecule has a bent shape around the oxygen. This combination creates an uneven distribution of charge, with a partial negative charge on the oxygen and partial positive charges on the hydrogens, giving water a net dipole moment. That polarity explains many of water’s key behaviors, like its ability to dissolve many substances and to form hydrogen bonds between molecules. The other descriptions don’t fit: ionic lattices are typical of salts with strong electrostatic attractions between oppositely charged ions; metallic bonds involve a sea of electrons shared by metal atoms; water is not nonpolar because the molecule has a significant dipole due to its shape and bond polarity.

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