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Oxygen attracts electrons more strongly than hydrogen does.

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7y ago
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5mo ago

The negative charge on the oxygen atom in a water molecule is due to its higher electronegativity compared to hydrogen atoms. This causes the oxygen atom to attract the shared electrons more strongly, creating a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom and partial positive charges on the hydrogen atoms.

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15y ago

Oxygen has a negative charge because it has a total of 8 electrons. Two are always in the first electron shell, and 6 in the outer shell, and an atom always wants 8 electrons in the outer shell. therefore it still needs 2 electrons, giving it a negative charge.

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10y ago

Two main reasons: first, the oxygen atom has a total of six valence electrons. Two of the six are tied up with the hydrogen atoms in single covalent bonds. This leaves four (two pairs) which are on the other side of the nucleus. These are unshared pairs, and they represent the negative pole of the water molecule. The second reason is that oxygen has a very high electronegativity. This means the interaction between the oxygen atom's nucleus and its valence electrons is very strong (a function of oxygen's relatively small atomic radius.) So it has a very high tendency to attract other electrons in a molecule toward itself. This increases the "well" of negativity around oxygen. This is the reason why water is so polar, and why its interactions with other molecules give it such a high boiling point.

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7y ago

The oxygen atom of a water molecule doesn't really have a negative charge, but rather is partially negative. This is because it is more electronegative than the hydrogen atoms, and so pulls electrons toward itself, making it more negative than the hydrogens which are more positive (have a partial positive charge).

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10y ago

oxygen attracts electrons stronger than hydrogen

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11y ago

Oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen. Hence the shared electron pair is slightly towards oxygen (than hydrogen) giving it slightly negative (charge).

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9y ago

Oxygen is an anion.

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Q: What explains the negative charge on the oxygen atom within the water molecule?
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Why does the oxygen atom of a water molecule have a negative charge?

The oxygen atom in a water molecule has a partial negative charge because it is more electronegative than the hydrogen atoms it is bonded to. This causes electron density to be pulled towards the oxygen atom, giving it a slight negative charge.


Why does the oxygen atom in a water molecule have a negative change?

The oxygen atom in a water molecule has a partially negative charge because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen. This causes the electrons in the covalent bonds to be pulled closer to the oxygen atom, giving it a partial negative charge.


What does the oxygen atom in a water molecule have charge?

The oxygen atom in a water molecule carries a partial negative charge. This occurs because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, leading to an uneven sharing of electrons in the covalent bond, resulting in a slight negative charge on the oxygen atom.


Where is majority of negative charge on the water molecule?

Water molecules consist of hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules. Most of the negative charge comes from the oxygen molecules while the hydrogen molecules carry the positive charge.


Which line of electrical charge is found on the oxygen atom of a polar water molecule?

The oxygen atom in a polar water molecule carries a partial negative charge. This is because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, pulling the shared electrons closer to itself and creating a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom.

Related questions

What is positively and negatively charged in a water molecule?

it says oxygen acts negativw so most likely hydrogen on the bottom acts positive


Why does the oxygen atom of a water molecule have a negative charge?

The oxygen atom in a water molecule has a partial negative charge because it is more electronegative than the hydrogen atoms it is bonded to. This causes electron density to be pulled towards the oxygen atom, giving it a slight negative charge.


What causes the water molecule to have a negative charge?

The asymmetrical distribution of electrons in a water molecule, with oxygen attracting more electrons than hydrogen, leads to a slight negative charge at the oxygen atom. This occurs due to oxygen's higher electronegativity, resulting in a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom and partial positive charges on the hydrogen atoms.


Why does the oxygen atom in a water molecule have a negative change?

The oxygen atom in a water molecule has a partially negative charge because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen. This causes the electrons in the covalent bonds to be pulled closer to the oxygen atom, giving it a partial negative charge.


The oxygen atom in a water molecule has a slight negative charge?

Yes, the oxygen atom in a water molecule has a slight negative charge because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen. This causes the shared electrons to be closer to the oxygen atom, giving it a partial negative charge.


Which kind of electric charge is found on the oxygen atom of a polar water molecule?

A negative charge exists because of the electronegativity of oxygen.


What does the oxygen atom in a water molecule have charge?

The oxygen atom in a water molecule carries a partial negative charge. This occurs because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, leading to an uneven sharing of electrons in the covalent bond, resulting in a slight negative charge on the oxygen atom.


Which water molecule has a partial positive charge?

In a water molecule, the hydrogen atoms have a partial positive charge. This is because the oxygen atom is more electronegative than hydrogen, pulling electron density towards itself and creating a partial negative charge on the oxygen and a partial positive charge on the hydrogen atoms.


Which kind of elctrical charge if found on the oxygen atom of a polar water molecule?

a partially negative charge.


Where is majority of negative charge on the water molecule?

Water molecules consist of hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules. Most of the negative charge comes from the oxygen molecules while the hydrogen molecules carry the positive charge.


Why does the oxygen in a water molecule have a negative charge?

Oxygen attracts electrons more strongly than hydrogen does.


Which line of electrical charge is found on the oxygen atom of a polar water molecule?

The oxygen atom in a polar water molecule carries a partial negative charge. This is because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, pulling the shared electrons closer to itself and creating a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom.