What type of bond is responsible for the cohesion between water molecules?

Cohesion between water molecules is primarily due to hydrogen bonds. Water (H₂O) is a polar molecule, meaning it has a partial positive charge on one side (the hydrogen atoms) and a partial negative charge on the other side (the oxygen atom). This polarity allows water molecules to attract each other through hydrogen bonds, which are relatively weak interactions that occur when the positively charged hydrogen atom of one water molecule is attracted to the negatively charged oxygen atom of another water molecule.

These hydrogen bonds are crucial for many properties of water, such as its high surface tension and the ability to form droplets. This cohesive property is vital for various biological processes, including water transport in plants and the formation of cell structures.

Ionic bonds, covalent bonds, and Van der Waals forces do not play a direct role in the cohesion of water molecules. Ionic bonds occur between charged ions, covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between atoms, and Van der Waals forces are weak attractions that occur between neutral atoms or molecules. Each of these types of bonds has its own significance in chemistry, but they do not contribute to the cohesive properties found in water.