Dipole Moments and Bond Polarity in Molecules

Which molecule has the most polar bonds?

a) SCl2

b) F2

c) CS2

d) CF4

e) BrCl

Which molecules have dipole moments?

a) SCl2 and BrCl

b) F2

c) CS2

d) CF4

Answer:

(a) The molecule with the most polar bonds is BrCl. This is because it has the greatest difference in electronegativity between the two atoms (Br and Cl).

(b) The molecules that have dipole moments are SCl2 and BrCl. These molecules have dipole moments because they have polar bonds and their molecular geometries do not cancel out the bond dipoles.

Detail Explanation:

When determining bond polarity in molecules, we look at the difference in electronegativity between the atoms involved. The larger the electronegativity difference, the more polar the bond is.

In this case, BrCl (Bromine Chloride) has the most polar bond because Bromine (Br) and Chlorine (Cl) have a significant difference in electronegativity, resulting in a highly polar bond.

Regarding dipole moments, molecules like SCl2 and BrCl have asymmetrical shapes along with polar bonds, leading to a net dipole moment. On the other hand, molecules like F2, CS2, and CF4 either have nonpolar bonds or symmetrical shapes that cancel out their dipole moments.

Understanding the concept of dipole moments and bond polarity is crucial in predicting the physical and chemical properties of molecules.