Which of the following best describes why polarity is the most important characteristic of water?

Water has a very simple molecular structure. It is made up of two Hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to one atom of Oxygen. This setup leads to 4 pairs of electrons around the oxygen atom. 2 pairs of electrons are involved in the covalent bond that attaches the hydrogen atoms to the oxygen atom. This leaves two unshared pairs of electrons on the opposite side of the oxygen atom. This uneven distribution in electron density is known as polarity.
The polarity of water is important because it allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with other molecules (including other molecules of water).
Hydrogen bonding results in many benefits, including:
- High specific heat: it requires a lot of heat to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius
- Strong cohesive properties: water can stick to itself
- Strong adhesive properties: water can stick to other molecules
- Versatile solvent properties: water dissolves many polar and charged molecules
Covalent bonds attach the hydrogen atoms to the oxygen atom in a molecule of water, but hydrogen bonds are what connect water molecules to other molecules (of water and other types of molecules).