eli5 why is water not a gas if it’s made from hydrogen and oxygen?
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In water, two hydrogen atoms are bonded to one oxygen atom. H-O-H. From the size and mass of the molecule alone, one would assume that it would be a gas at room temperature. However, the oxygen atom is much more electronegative than the hydrogen atoms, making it so it pulls the electrons participating in the bonds closer to it. This makes the oxygen slightly more negatively charged and the hydrogens slightly positive. Like magnets with north and south poles, the positive and negative poles of different water molecules want to stick together, causing the water molecules to become loosely attached to each other. This makes water liquid at room temperature.
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