What is a characteristic of polar covalent bonds?

In polar covalent bonds, electrons are unequally shared between the atoms involved. This occurs because the atoms typically have different electronegativities, meaning one atom attracts the shared electrons more strongly than the other. As a result, this unequal sharing leads to a distribution of charge, causing one end of the molecule to be slightly negative (where the electrons are more concentrated) and the other end to be slightly positive.

This characteristic is important because it allows polar molecules to interact with other polar substances, such as water, which is why many polar compounds are soluble in aqueous environments. The presence of a partial positive charge on one atom and a partial negative charge on another creates a dipole that influences the chemical behavior and interactions of the molecule.