Here's why:
* Electronegativity: Oxygen is a much more electronegative element than hydrogen. Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract electrons towards itself in a chemical bond. Oxygen has a higher electronegativity value than hydrogen, meaning it has a stronger pull on shared electrons.
* Polar Covalent Bond: In water (H₂O), the oxygen atom attracts the shared electrons in the covalent bonds with the hydrogen atoms more strongly. This creates a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom and partial positive charges on the hydrogen atoms. This makes the water molecule a polar molecule.
In summary: The oxygen atom in water molecules attracts electrons more strongly than the hydrogen atoms due to its higher electronegativity.
