In a water molecule, the oxygen atom has a ______ charge and the hydrogen atoms have a ______ charge.

• A. neutral; neutral
• B. positive; negative
• C. partial positive; partial negative
• D. partial negative; partial positive

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that a water molecule (H\_2O) is polar due to the difference in electronegativity between oxygen and hydrogen atoms.
2. Recall that oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, meaning it attracts the shared electrons in the covalent bonds more strongly.
3. Because oxygen pulls the electron density closer to itself, it acquires a partial negative charge, denoted as \(\delta^-\).
4. Conversely, the hydrogen atoms have less electron density around them, resulting in a partial positive charge, denoted as \(\delta^+\).
5. Therefore, in a water molecule, the oxygen atom has a partial negative charge and the hydrogen atoms have partial positive charges.