Is OH2 polar or nonpolar? – (Polarity of OH2)

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The question is –

Is OH2 polar or nonpolar?

Answer:

OH2 is polar (net µ = 1.85 Debye).   

Explanation:

Water (OH2), more conventionally written as H2O, is polar as the dipole moments of individually polar O-H bonds do not get canceled equally in the bent, angular, or V-shaped molecule.

OH2 consists of two O-H single covalent bonds.

Each O-H bond is polar as it consists of an electronegativity difference of 1.24 units between an oxygen (E.N = 3.44) and a hydrogen (E.N = 2.20) atom.

Oxygen, being more electronegative, attracts the O-H bonded electrons towards itself to a larger extent; thus, it gains a partial negative charge (δ).

Contrarily, both terminal H-atoms gain partial positive charges (δ+).

The central O-atom carries 2 lone pairs of electrons in OH2, which leads to strong lone pair-lone pair and lone pair-bond pair electronic repulsions.

OH2 thus occupies a bent, angular, or V-shape as opposed to its ideal tetrahedral electron pair geometry.

The O-H dipole moments do not get canceled in the bent molecular shape.

Consequently, OH2 or H2O is overall polar (net µ > 0).

is OH2 polar or nonpolar

 

Also, check –

How to identify polar or nonpolar compounds?

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