Multiple Choice
Why does the oxygen atom of a water molecule have a partial negative charge?
11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Dipole Moment
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What causes the negative charge at one end of a polar molecule?
A
Symmetrical distribution of electron density
B
Equal sharing of electrons between atoms
C
Presence of a lone pair of electrons on the central atom
D
Unequal sharing of electrons between atoms
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that a polar molecule has a region with a partial negative charge and a region with a partial positive charge due to differences in electronegativity between the atoms involved.
Recognize that electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract electrons towards itself in a chemical bond. Atoms with higher electronegativity will attract electrons more strongly.
In a polar covalent bond, electrons are shared unequally between the atoms. The atom with the higher electronegativity will have a greater share of the electron density, resulting in a partial negative charge.
The unequal sharing of electrons leads to a dipole moment, where one end of the molecule is slightly negative, and the other end is slightly positive.
Therefore, the negative charge at one end of a polar molecule is caused by the unequal sharing of electrons between atoms, where the more electronegative atom attracts the electrons more strongly.
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