Is a water molecule more attracted to another water molecule or to a sodium ion? Explain.

I would say that the water molecule is more attracted to a sodium ion since it is a dipole and and it would attract sodium's single electron in its valence shell. Is this right? Would this then create an ionic bond between the water molecule and the sodium ion? Thanks!

Water molecules are attracted to each other to form hydrogen bonds. Sodium ion is attracted to water molecules to form an ion-dipole bond. In a solution of water and sodium ions, both occur. By the way, your explanation is flawed because sodium ION has no single electron in its valence shell. The sodium ATOM lost that electron when it became a sodium ION.

Thank you, Dr. Bob! I am taking a basic Physical Science course in college online, and, while the text does an ok job of explaining things, it is terrible at connecting the concepts to the homework problems - and my teacher thinks that we should just "know it." :-/ I appreciate your explanations. It makes sense that both are appearing. I had forgotten that an ion meant that the sodium atom had lost its electron - this is all so new to me and I am trying to take it all in (this is only our second week with the chemistry part). I have been working on this homework since Wednesday, and have finally almost finished it, thanks to your help and the help of others online. Again, thanks! Mary

Yes, you are partially correct, but let's dive into the details to better understand the matter.

Water molecules are composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, and they are known to have a bent or V-shaped molecular structure. Due to the electronegativity difference between oxygen and hydrogen, the oxygen atom acquires a partial negative charge (δ-) while the hydrogen atoms carry a partial positive charge (δ+). This separation of charges within a molecule is known as polarity, and water is a polar molecule.

When a sodium ion (Na+) is present in a solution, it is attracted to the partial negative charge of the oxygen atom in a water molecule. This attraction occurs due to the electrostatic force between the oppositely charged species. This type of attraction is known as an electrostatic or ion-dipole interaction.

However, it's important to note that the attraction between water molecules, known as hydrogen bonding, is stronger than the interaction between a water molecule and a sodium ion. Hydrogen bonding occurs when the partially positive hydrogen atom of one water molecule is attracted to the partially negative oxygen atom of another water molecule. This bond is formed due to the highly electronegative oxygen atom attracting the hydrogen atoms of neighboring molecules.

While the ion-dipole interaction between a water molecule and a sodium ion is significant, hydrogen bonding between water molecules is stronger. Therefore, water molecules have a higher affinity for other water molecules compared to sodium ions. This is evident in the formation of water clusters or the cohesion and high surface tension of water.

In summary, a water molecule is generally more attracted to another water molecule via hydrogen bonding, but it can also exhibit an ion-dipole interaction with a sodium ion due to its polarity.