End Show Slide 1 of 44 Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall Biology

End Show Slide 2 of 44 Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall 2-2 Properties of Water

End Show 2-2 Properties of Water Slide 3 of 44 Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall The Water Molecule Like all molecules, a water molecule is neutral. However, there is more to the story…

End Show 2-2 Properties of Water Slide 4 of 44 Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall The Water Molecule Why are water molecules polar? A water molecule is polar because there is an uneven distribution of electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. A water molecule is polar because there is an uneven distribution of electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms.

End Show 2-2 Properties of Water Slide 5 of 44 Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall The Water Molecule Polarity An oxygen atom, with 8 protons in its nucleus, has a much stronger attraction for electrons than does the hydrogen atom with a single proton. Therefore, oxygen is an electron hog which slightly pulls the electrons closer to itself.

End Show 2-2 Properties of Water Slide 6 of 44 Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall The Water Molecule As a result, the oxygen end of the molecule has a slight negative charge and the hydrogen end has a slight positive charge.

End Show 2-2 Properties of Water Slide 7 of 44 Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall The Water Molecule Hydrogen Bonds Because of their partial positive and negative charges, polar molecules can attract each other.

End Show 2-2 Properties of Water Slide 8 of 44 Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall The Water Molecule Hydrogen bonds form between water molecules.

End Show 2-2 Properties of Water Slide 9 of 44 Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall Solutions and Suspensions Water's polarity gives it the ability to dissolve both ionic compounds and other polar molecules, such as sugar. Water is the greatest solvent on Earth.

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