One of the most important characteristics of the water molecule is its which allows it to surround and attract both positive and negative ions. a. polarity b. strength c. fluidity

Option (A) is the correct answer.

Explanation:

Polarity in a substance or molecules arises when the two combining atoms have different electronegativites. As more electronegative atom will attract the electrons from electropositive atom towards itself.

Due to this there will development of partial positive charge on electropositive atom and a partial negative charge on the electronegative atom.

For example, in water () due to the difference in electronegativities of hydrogen and oxygen atoms there is partial positive charge on hydrogen atom and partial negative charge on oxygen atom.

Due to these charges it is able to attract ions of opposite charge that are surrounding.

Thus, we can conclude that one of the most important characteristics of the water molecule is its polarity, which allows it to surround and attract both positive and negative ions.

vanderwaal's forces of attraction are the electrostatic intermolecular forces that exist in a molecule due to the temporary or permanent dipoles that are developed in a molecule. in , the major intermolecular forces are dipole-dipole interactions as the molecule is polar (bent structure). so the vanderwaal's forces of interaction in between molecules are the permanent dipole-dipole interactions that develop due to the dipole that exists in between the polar h - s bond. the positively charged hydrogen atom is attracted towards the negative end of the dipole that is sulfur of the adjacent molecule. therefore, these forces of attraction are relatively stronger than that of london dispersion forces that exist in non polar molecules.