Electric field of water dipole

In summary: So if you imagine a vector running from the positive pole of the dipole to the negative pole of the dipole, the field lines running through that point are the vector's components. The electric field points in the direction of the vector pointing from the positive pole of the first dipole to the negative pole of the second dipole.
  • #1
eftrsd
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I cannot find the answer to my question anywhere on the internet so hopefully someone here will end my long search with the correct answer.
It is well known that a single water molecule has a permanent electric dipole which produces a dipole intrinsic electric field. Let's say the dipole is pointing in the x direction.. my question is: what is the direction of this electric field? If there is another water molecule nearby, how will it respond to the dipole electric field of the first molecule? (without taking account of hydrogen bonding, external fields, or any other issues.. it is just a question about the electric field generated by a single water molecule and how it polarizes another molecule).
 
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  • #3
The first link shows the direction of E along the line connecting the two charges only. E lines have a certain distribution around the dipole
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=e...ei=BnhbVZH2GoqtU9uhgaAH&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&dpr=1

but I cannot figure out from that how the second molecule will respond to the first one (as I explained in the question). The second link you posted talks about interaction between dipoles.. what I need to know is in which direction a single water dipole polarizes another molecule (being water or not).
 
  • #4
Both water molecules are dipoles. So the dominant term in the interaction will be the one between the permanent dipoles. The induced dipoles will be a higher order correction.
The figures show the field lines around the dipole. Not just along the axis. These curves are the field lines. The electric field vector is tangent to these field lines, at any point.
 

What is an electric field?

An electric field is a region in which an electrically charged object experiences a force. The strength and direction of the electric field are determined by the location and magnitude of the charges creating the field.

What is a water dipole?

A water dipole is a molecule that has a partial positive charge on one end and a partial negative charge on the other. This separation of charges is due to the unequal sharing of electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms in a water molecule.

How does a water dipole create an electric field?

When a water dipole is placed in an external electric field, the positive and negative charges in the dipole are separated even further, creating a stronger electric field around the molecule. This phenomenon is known as polarization.

What factors affect the strength of the electric field of a water dipole?

The strength of the electric field of a water dipole is affected by the magnitude of the charges on the dipole, the distance between the charges, and the dielectric constant of the medium surrounding the dipole. The dielectric constant is a measure of the ability of a material to reduce the strength of an electric field.

What is the significance of the electric field of water dipole?

The electric field of water dipole plays a crucial role in many biological and chemical processes. It helps to stabilize the structure of proteins and other biomolecules, and also influences the interactions between molecules in solutions. The electric field of water dipole is also important in understanding the properties of water and its role in many natural phenomena.

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