Multiple Choice
Which of the following molecules contains polar bonds but is overall nonpolar?
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13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces
Molecular Polarity
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Which of the following best describes the polarity of carbon tetrachloride (CCl_4)?
A
CCl_4 is a nonpolar molecule because its molecular geometry is tetrahedral and the bond dipoles cancel out.
B
CCl_4 is a polar molecule because it contains polar C–Cl bonds.
C
CCl_4 is a polar molecule due to the presence of lone pairs on the central carbon atom.
D
CCl_4 is a nonpolar molecule because chlorine is less electronegative than carbon.
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the molecular geometry of carbon tetrachloride (CCl_4). Since carbon is bonded to four chlorine atoms with no lone pairs, the shape is tetrahedral.
Determine the polarity of each C–Cl bond by considering the difference in electronegativity between carbon and chlorine. The C–Cl bonds are polar because chlorine is more electronegative than carbon.
Analyze the symmetry of the molecule. In a tetrahedral geometry, the four polar bonds are symmetrically arranged around the central carbon atom.
Evaluate the vector sum of the bond dipoles. Because of the symmetrical tetrahedral shape, the individual bond dipoles cancel each other out.
Conclude that despite having polar bonds, the overall molecule is nonpolar due to the cancellation of bond dipoles in the symmetrical tetrahedral geometry.
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