What term refers to the attraction between water molecules?

• A. Ionic bonds
• B. Covalent bonds
• C. Hydrophobic interactions
• D. Hydrogen bonds

Answer: (D)

Hydrogen bonding is the attraction between water molecules. Water is a polar molecule, with oxygen bearing a partial negative charge and each hydrogen carrying a partial positive charge. The positive region of one water molecule is attracted to the negative region of a neighboring water molecule, forming a hydrogen bond that links the molecules together. These intermolecular bonds are what give water strong cohesion and influence properties like surface tension and boiling point. They’re different from ionic or covalent bonds, which hold atoms together within a molecule, and from hydrophobic interactions, which describe how water organizes around nonpolar substances rather than bonds between water molecules.