Yes, that's correct! The description you provided illustrates the molecular structure of water (H2O) using a ball-and-stick model, which is a common way to represent molecules in chemistry.
In this model:
- The balls represent the atoms: oxygen (O) is usually depicted as a larger sphere, while the hydrogen (H) atoms are represented as smaller spheres.
- The sticks represent the covalent bonds between the atoms.
Water is a bent molecule due to the presence of two lone pairs of electrons on the oxygen atom. These lone pairs repel the hydrogen atoms, leading to a bond angle of approximately 104.5 degrees.
The polar nature of the water molecule arises from the difference in electronegativity between oxygen and hydrogen. Oxygen is more electronegative, causing it to pull the shared electrons closer to itself, which results in a partial negative charge (δ-) near the oxygen atom and a partial positive charge (δ+) near the hydrogen atoms. This polarity allows water to engage in hydrogen bonding, which is crucial for many of its unique properties, such as its high surface tension, high specific heat, and its role as a solvent for many substances.