How do water molecules act like "little magnets"?

1 Answer
Aditya Banerjee.
Nov 3, 2016

Water molecules are polar in nature.

Explanation:

Water molecules are basically, #H_2O# molecules, which have bent shapes. Also, #O# atom is electronegative than #H# atom. So, the entire electron densities of the two hydrogen atoms get attracted towards the oxygen atom.
Thus a polarity develops in each #O-H# bonds, and thus, the water molecules are polar in nature and act like "little magnets".

Bent shape of water

Polar water molecule

Related questions
See all questions in Polarity of Molecules
Impact of this question
20370 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License