Question

What type of attraction occurs between the partial positively charged hydrogen atom in one water molecule and the partial negatively charged oxygen atom in another water molecule?

• A. Covalent bond
• B. Dipole moment
• C. Ionic bond
• D. Van der Waals interaction
• E. Hydrogen bond

Answer 1

The correct option is E Hydrogen bond

Hydrogen bonding forms in liquid water as the hydrogen atoms of one water molecule are attracted towards the oxygen atom of a neighbouring water molecule; generally, a proton shared by two lone electron pairs. In a water molecule, the oxygen nucleus with $+8$ charges attracts electrons better than the hydrogen nucleus with its $+1$ charge. Hence, the oxygen atom is partially negatively charged and the hydrogen atom is partially positively charged. The hydrogen atoms are not only covalently attached to their oxygen atoms but also attracted towards other nearby oxygen atoms. This attraction is the basis of the hydrogen bonds. Hydrogen bonding causes the collective ground state of liquid water to have an energy lower that the ground state found in single gaseous molecules.