4.5 Polarity and Intermolecular Forces

Front

What is polarity in chemistry?

Back

Polarity refers to the distribution of electrical charge over the atoms joined by the bond. A polar molecule has a partial positive charge on one end and a partial negative charge on the other.

Front

What is a polar covalent bond?

Back

A polar covalent bond is a type of chemical bond where a pair of electrons is unequally shared between two atoms, leading to a molecule with a positive and a negative end.

Front

What determines the polarity of a molecule?

Back

The polarity of a molecule is determined by the difference in electronegativity between the atoms involved in the bond and the molecular geometry.

Front

What is electronegativity?

Back

Electronegativity is a measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons.

Front

Which molecule is more polar: H2O or CO2?

Back

H2O (water) is more polar than CO2 (carbon dioxide) because of its bent shape and the difference in electronegativity between hydrogen and oxygen.

Front

What type of intermolecular force is present in HCl?

Back

HCl exhibits dipole-dipole intermolecular forces due to its polar covalent bond.

Front

What is a dipole-dipole force?

Back

Dipole-dipole forces are attractive forces between the positive end of one polar molecule and the negative end of another polar molecule.

Front

What is a nonpolar molecule?

Back

A nonpolar molecule is a molecule that has an even distribution of electrical charge, resulting in no distinct positive or negative poles.

Front

Is H2S polar or nonpolar?

Back

H2S (hydrogen sulfide) is a polar molecule due to the difference in electronegativity between hydrogen and sulfur and its bent shape.

Front

Is PH3 polar or nonpolar?

Back

PH3 (phosphine) is considered a polar molecule because of the lone pair on phosphorus, which creates an uneven distribution of charge.