Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes the polarity of the molecule CH3Cl (chloromethane)?
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13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces
Molecular Polarity
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Which of the following best describes the polarity of the molecule CCl2F2 (dichlorodifluoromethane)?
A
CCl2F2 is a polar molecule because its bond dipoles do not cancel.
B
CCl2F2 is polar only in the solid state.
C
CCl2F2 is nonpolar because all the atoms attached to the central carbon are identical.
D
CCl2F2 is a nonpolar molecule because it has a symmetrical tetrahedral shape.
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the molecular geometry of CCl2F2. Since the central atom is carbon bonded to four substituents (2 Cl and 2 F atoms), the shape is tetrahedral.
Recall that in a tetrahedral molecule, the bond angles are approximately 109.5° and the spatial arrangement can lead to either polar or nonpolar molecules depending on the symmetry and the nature of the substituents.
Analyze the electronegativities of the substituents: fluorine (F) is more electronegative than chlorine (Cl), so the C–F bonds have a stronger dipole moment than the C–Cl bonds.
Determine if the bond dipoles cancel out. Because the substituents are not all identical (2 F and 2 Cl), the dipoles do not symmetrically cancel, resulting in a net dipole moment.
Conclude that CCl2F2 is a polar molecule due to the difference in electronegativity and the asymmetrical distribution of the substituents around the central carbon atom.
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