Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes the polarity of the molecule SO_3?
13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces
Molecular Polarity
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Which of the following best describes the polarity of the molecule CF_4?
A
CF_4 is a polar molecule because the C–F bonds are polar and do not cancel.
B
CF_4 is a polar molecule because it contains fluorine atoms.
C
CF_4 is a nonpolar molecule because it contains only nonpolar bonds.
D
CF_4 is a nonpolar molecule because its tetrahedral geometry causes the dipole moments to cancel.
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the molecular geometry of CF_4. Carbon tetrafluoride has a central carbon atom bonded to four fluorine atoms, arranged in a tetrahedral shape.
Recognize that each C–F bond is polar due to the difference in electronegativity between carbon and fluorine, which creates a dipole moment pointing from carbon to fluorine.
Understand that the overall polarity of the molecule depends on both the polarity of individual bonds and the symmetry of the molecule's shape.
Analyze the symmetry of the tetrahedral geometry: the four polar C–F bonds are symmetrically arranged, so their dipole moments point in directions that cancel each other out.
Conclude that because the dipole moments cancel, CF_4 has no net dipole moment and is therefore a nonpolar molecule despite having polar bonds.
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