Which of the following statements correctly describes the permanent electric dipole moment of a water (H2O) molecule?

• A. It is 1.0 × 10^{-30} C·m, indicating that water is a polar molecule.
• B. It is 6.2 × 10^{-30} C·m, indicating that water is a nonpolar molecule.
• C. It is 0 C·m, indicating that water is a nonpolar molecule.
• D. It is 6.2 × 10^{-30} C·m, indicating that water is a polar molecule.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the permanent electric dipole moment of a molecule arises from the uneven distribution of electron density, which depends on both the molecular geometry and the difference in electronegativity between atoms.
2. Recall that water (H\_2O) has a bent molecular shape due to the two lone pairs on oxygen, which causes an asymmetrical distribution of charge.
3. Recognize that the O-H bonds are polar because oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, creating partial negative and positive charges respectively.
4. Combine the bond dipoles vectorially considering the bent shape; this results in a net dipole moment that is not zero, indicating water is a polar molecule.
5. Note that the experimentally measured dipole moment of water is approximately 6.2 \times 10^{-30} C\cdot m, confirming its polarity.