The attraction between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a water compound is polar. The larger oxygen atom, with more protons, is more electronegative than the hydrogen atom and attracts the electron pair closer. The unequal sharing of electrons in a covalent bond creates a dative bond. Due to the polar nature of water, hydrogens in one molecule are attracted to oxygen atoms in other water molecules. The bonding of water molecules to each other with hydrogen bonds is called hydrogen bonding.