Which term describes a molecule consisting of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom bonded together?

Which term describes a molecule consisting of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom bonded together?

• A. Water Molecule
• B. Molecule
• C. Atom
• D. Capillary Action

Answer: (A)

Understanding how a specific formula maps to a real substance is being tested here. A molecule with two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom is water. The two hydrogens share electrons with the oxygen via covalent bonds, giving the formula H2O. Describing it as a water molecule conveys both its identity (water) and that we’re talking about a single unit of that substance—the smallest piece that still has water’s properties. Saying just “molecule” would be too general, since many different molecules exist; saying “atom” would be incorrect because there isn’t just one atom here. Capillary action, meanwhile, is a process describing how liquids move in narrow spaces, not a molecule.

Understanding how a specific formula maps to a real substance is being tested here. A molecule with two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom is water. The two hydrogens share electrons with the oxygen via covalent bonds, giving the formula H2O. Describing it as a water molecule conveys both its identity (water) and that we’re talking about a single unit of that substance—the smallest piece that still has water’s properties. Saying just “molecule” would be too general, since many different molecules exist; saying “atom” would be incorrect because there isn’t just one atom here. Capillary action, meanwhile, is a process describing how liquids move in narrow spaces, not a molecule.