The Neutralization of H₂O Polarity: Resolving the Anomalies of Water by Correcting Pauling's Blunder
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: I argue that Linus Pauling’s emphasis on electronegativity obscured how a hydrogen bond can weaken the very polarity that drew two water molecules together, an oversight I call Pauling’s Blunder. In my model, each hydrogen bond neutralizes one quarter of each participating H₂O molecule’s original polarity, with complete neutralization when all four tetrahedral bonding sites are occupied. I use this mechanism to explain how water molecules can move readily past one another yet resist being pulled apart, connecting water’s low viscosity with its high boiling point and offering an account of its surface tension, expansion on freezing, and high heat capacity.
Author: McGinn, James
Language: English
Subfield: Biophysics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225774852
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