Hydrogen Bonds in Water

Hydrogen bonds in water are weak attractions between atoms that are already part of other chemical bonds. One atom is electronegative, such as oxygen, and carries a partial negative charge. The other is a hydrogen atom that is bonded to another electronegative atom and has a partial positive charge.

A hydrogen bond is a weak electrostatic attraction between molecules. In a polar covalent bond, the hydrogen atom develops a partial positive charge. This allows it to interact with a nearby atom, such as nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine, that carries a partial negative charge. This interaction is called a hydrogen bond.

Hydrogen bonds are mo...