Multiple Choice
Is a molecule of hydrogen chloride (HCl) polar or nonpolar?
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13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces
Molecular Polarity
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Which of the following statements about molecular polarity is correct?
A
Nonpolar molecules cannot contain any polar bonds.
B
A molecule is polar if it contains polar bonds and has a net dipole moment due to its shape.
C
All molecules with polar bonds are always polar.
D
Molecular polarity depends only on the types of atoms present, not on the molecular geometry.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of molecular polarity: Molecular polarity depends on both the presence of polar bonds and the overall shape of the molecule, which determines if the individual bond dipoles add up to a net dipole moment.
Recall that a polar bond occurs when there is a difference in electronegativity between two bonded atoms, causing an uneven distribution of electron density.
Recognize that even if a molecule contains polar bonds, the molecule can be nonpolar if its shape causes the bond dipoles to cancel each other out (for example, in symmetrical molecules like carbon dioxide).
Evaluate each statement based on these principles: Nonpolar molecules can contain polar bonds if the molecular geometry leads to dipole cancellation; not all molecules with polar bonds are polar overall; molecular polarity depends on both bond polarity and molecular geometry, not just the types of atoms.
Conclude that the correct statement is: 'A molecule is polar if it contains polar bonds and has a net dipole moment due to its shape,' because this captures the necessity of both polar bonds and molecular geometry in determining polarity.
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