Water molecules in motion. There are transient interactions between the water molecules, shown as bolts that appear and disappear. These are hydrogen bonds, short-range attractive forces between regions of adjacent molecules having opposite charges. Water is an asymmetric polar molecule, with a small negative charge localised on the central oxygen atom, and small positive charges on the two hydrogens. This means that the negative charges on one molecule can attract and connect to the positive ones nearby. This property gives water a number of properties, including a high boiling point and strong surface tension. |