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8.7: Bond Polarity and Electronegativity

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    Bond Polarity and Electronegativity

    Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\)

    Which of the following bonds would be the most polar?

    a. N--C        b. N--Si        c. N--P        d. N--Al        e. N--Ga

    Answer

    e. N--Ga

    Exercise \(\PageIndex{2}\)

    Which of the following compounds has polar covalent bonds: CCl4, Cl2, HCl, and KCl?

    Answer

    CCl4 and HCl

    Exercise \(\PageIndex{3}\)

    Electronegativity is a measure of _____.

    1. the ability of a substance to conduct electricity
    2. the charge on a polyatomic cation
    3. the charge on a polyatomic anion
    4. the ability of an atom in a molecule to attract electrons to itself
    5. the oxidation number of an atom in a molecule or polyatomic anion
    Answer

    d. the ability of an atom in a molecule to attract electrons to itself

    Exercise \(\PageIndex{4}\)

    Three nonequivalent Lewis structures for carbonyl sulfide, SCO, are given below. Use the concepts of formal charge and electronegativity to choose the structure that is the best representation.

    8.7.4A.png        8.7.4B.png        8.7.4C.png

    A                            B                            C

    1. Structure A, because all the formal charges equal 0
    2. Structure B, because all the formal charges equal 0
    3. Structure C, because all the formal charges equal 0.
    4. Structure A, because the negative formal charge resides on the most electronegative atom
    5. Structure C, because the negative formal charge resides on the most electronegative atom
    Answer

    b. Structure B, because all the formal charges equal 0

    Exercise \(\PageIndex{5}\)

    Choose which central atom in the following molecules is most electronegative.

    a. PH3        b. CH4        c. H2S        d. H2O        e. NH3

    Answer

    d. H2O

    Exercise \(\PageIndex{6}\)

    Rank the following covalent bonds in order of decreasing polarity: C-H, N-H, O-H, and F-H.

    Answer

    F-H > O-H > N-H > C-H

    Exercise \(\PageIndex{7}\)

    Atoms having equal or nearly equal electronegativities are expected to form

    1. no bonds
    2. polar covalent bonds
    3. nonpolar covalent bonds
    4. ionic bonds
    5. covalent bonds
    Answer

    c. nonpolar covalent bonds

     

    8.7: Bond Polarity and Electronegativity is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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