In a single molecule of water, two hydrogen atoms are bonded to a single oxygen atom by _____.

• A. polar covalent bonds
• B. ionic bonds
• C. hydrogen bonds
• D. metallic bonds

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the types of chemical bonds: ionic bonds involve transfer of electrons between atoms, covalent bonds involve sharing of electrons, and metallic bonds involve a 'sea' of delocalized electrons among metal atoms.
2. Recognize that in a water molecule (H\_2O), hydrogen and oxygen atoms share electrons rather than transferring them completely, which rules out ionic bonds.
3. Recall that hydrogen bonds are intermolecular forces, not bonds within a single molecule, so they do not describe the bonds holding hydrogen and oxygen together in one water molecule.
4. Consider the difference between nonpolar and polar covalent bonds: polar covalent bonds occur when electrons are shared unequally due to differences in electronegativity between atoms.
5. Since oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, the electrons in the O-H bonds are shared unequally, making the bonds polar covalent bonds.