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My teacher stated, oxygen has a greater electronegativity than hydrogen. Thus, in water, oxygen develops partial negative charge and hydrogen develops develops partial positive charge.

I am not able to comprehend what is meant by partial negative and positive charge? (https://i.stack.imgur.com/8T0RO.jpg) I have always imagined charge as being integral. How can a charge be partial (ie, non integral).

Akhil Kumar Singh
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    Welcome to Chemistry! What efforts have you made to get the answer to your question? Effort is the imaginary currency you use in chem SE to gain answers. – Safdar Faisal May 31 '21 at 06:00
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    @Akhil Please have a look at this answer. It might quickly clarify what is exactly meany by partial charge. https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/a/40781/21349 – Mitradip Das May 31 '21 at 06:12
  • Have you considered probability density of valence electron distribution for polar bonds ? – Poutnik May 31 '21 at 07:19
  • @Poutnik not really necessary. A distribution of point charges can have electrical dipole. Of course for equilibrium one has to go quantum, but I think this can be answered nevertheless. – Alchimista May 31 '21 at 13:22
  • @Alchimista Sure. The electrical dipole is other way to say there is biased distribution of electrons. – Poutnik May 31 '21 at 13:25
  • OP it suffices that electrons are not equally apart from the nuclei. In reality, as Poutnik said, better you think of foggy electrons. Indeed see the answer by Neretin in the linked answer M Das suggested to you. – Alchimista May 31 '21 at 13:25
  • @Poutnik yes but it can be the distribution of point charges, too. Not need in context to think of electron density. See also my comment to OP. I know what you said is OK, I try to see things in line with OP. – Alchimista May 31 '21 at 13:25
  • To go to the root of your concern, that doesn't necessarily involve chemistry. You are correct that e is the elementary charge, and electrons cannot be splitted. However, take a positive and a negative charge in space. Now approach this couple with a test charge arriving from almost whatever point and direction. Unless you are far away and feel no charge at all, when you approach the given couple you will feel like there is a partial charge, because one attract you and one repels you (or viceversa) but with different forces. This should let you see why the idea of partial... – Alchimista May 31 '21 at 13:52
  • ... charge isn't that exotic. – Alchimista May 31 '21 at 13:52

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If two identical atoms are bound in a covalence, the center of gravity (barycentre) of the bonding electrons is exactly in the middle of the distance between the two nucleus. The atoms are not charged. If two different atoms are bound in an ionic bond, the center of gravity of the electrons are exactly situated on one of the nucleus. This atom is charged, or has a total charge. If two different atoms are bound in a covalent bond, the center of gravity of the electron is somewhere between one nucleus and the middle of the distance separating the nucleus. In that cas, we say that this atom has a partial charge.

Maurice
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    While I see the analogy, I don't see why one should use the gravitational field or the gravity force instead of electrical field or electric force. The need of quantum level, that can be omitted here, isn't removed using the gravitational analogy, so why? It just dangerously mixes different facts. Indeed, (almost) nothing change in the baricentre of a hypothetical covalent NaCl and the real ionic one. And a novice can be confused. Downvote. – Alchimista May 31 '21 at 13:12