Water is a polar molecule. This polarity arises because the oxygen atom in a water molecule is more electronegative than the hydrogen atoms, meaning it attracts shared electrons more strongly. The molecule has a bent shape with a bond angle of about 104.5 degrees, which prevents the dipole moments from canceling out. As a result, the oxygen end of the molecule has a slight negative charge, and the hydrogen ends have a slight positive charge, creating a molecule with distinct positive and negative poles. This polarity allows water molecules to attract each other and other polar substances, making water an excellent solvent and giving it many unique properties.
