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When a highly electronegative atom is attached to a less electronegative atom, then the former one attracts the shared pair of electrons towards itself.
Such a molecule is polar molecule.
Polarity of molecule means the product of charge on molecule and the distance between the atoms.
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TaigaPolarity in a water molecule is caused by an uneven distribution of electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. Due to oxygen's higher electronegativity, it attracts electrons more strongly, creating a partial negative charge near the oxygen atom and partial positive charges near the hydrogen atoms, resulting in a polar molecule.
Basically this is because of unequal sharing of electrons. The oxygen atom is much more electronegative than the hydrogen, so the electrons tend toward the oxygen nucleus so that the oxygen atom is relatively negative and the hydrogen atoms are relatively positive.
Also, the hydrogen atoms are not directly opposite each other across the oxygen atom - the angle between their bonds with the oxygen is 104.5 degrees. This causes a dipole moment, meaning that the molecule, even though it is neutral overall, has areas where there is a greater electron density than other areas of the molecule. The shared electrons spend a disproportionately high amount of time around the oxygen than they do around the hydrogen, making the oxygen a negatively charged region and the hydrogen a positively charged region.
The oxygen molecule pulls electrons from hydrogen to itself and becomes negatively charged, hydrogen that is now further from its electrons becomes positively charged.
Each water molecule is made up of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms which are bonded together in an asymmetrical manner. Oxygen has a much greater electronegativity (3.44) compared to hydrogen (2.2) and so attracts the bonding electrons more strongly. This results in an excess negative charge at the oxygen atom and corresponding positive charges at the hydrogen atoms.
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Is the molecule polar and hydrophilic or hydrophobic?
The polarity of a molecule determines whether it is hydrophilic (attracted to water) or hydrophobic (repelled by water). If a molecule is polar, it is typically hydrophilic, meaning it can dissolve in water. If a molecule is nonpolar, it is usually hydrophobic and does not mix well with water.
Is water a polar or nonpolar molecule?
Water is a polar molecule because it has a slight negative charge on the oxygen atom and a slight positive charge on the hydrogen atoms due to differences in electronegativity. This unequal sharing of electrons gives water a polarity, making it a polar molecule.
Why oil does not mix with water?
Oil is non-polar, meaning it does not have a charge, while water is polar, with positive and negative charges. This difference in polarity causes them to repel each other, preventing them from mixing. Additionally, oil molecules are larger and have weaker intermolecular forces, making them less likely to dissolve in water.
How does water become polar molecule?
Water becomes a polar molecule because of its bent molecular shape and the unequal sharing of electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. This results in a slight negative charge on the oxygen atom and a slight positive charge on the hydrogen atoms, creating a polar molecule.
Which is a factor that determines wether a molecule can cross the cell membrane?
Polarity
