Polar Substance

∞ generated and posted on 2022.02.01 ∞

Compound that has associated with it either full or partial charges.

Biologically, water is the ultimate Polar Substance, but so too are the very numerous substances that can readily dissolve in water, such as ions and substances containing polar covalent bonds.

These charges are a consequence of either the presence or absence of electrons. Substances that are missing or have gained one or more electrons are called ions while atoms within molecules that have had an electron partially stolen from them are only partially charged (as is also the atom doing the partial stealing).

Water is a polar substance because oxygen atoms are somewhat proficient at stealing electrons (electronegativity) from hydrogen atoms, both of which together make up water molecules.