2020-04-02_Science_Illustrated

Water is so weird

it should not exist

Its boiling point is 140 degrees higher than for other similar molecules.

And unlike all other substances, water is lighter in its solid state than

as liquid. Why? These unique qualities are caused by electric forces.

Oxygen and hydrogen

share electrons

1

A water molecule

consists of an oxygen

atom and two hydrogen

atoms, linked by strong

covalent bonds. Oxygen

and hydrogen share the

hydrogen atoms’ electrons.

The molecule has

a different charge

2

The oxygen atom

attracts electrons to a

greater extent than the

hydrogen atoms. The result is a

dipole, which means that the

water molecule on the oxygen

side is negatively charged,

whereas it is positively charged

on the hydrogen side.

HYDROGEN

HYDROGEN

ELECTRONSHARED S

HBINYDROGEN DINGS

OXYGEN

TECHNOLOGY WATER

42 | SCIENCE ILLUSTRATED