Table of contents

1. Intro to General Chemistry3h 48m
2. Atoms & Elements4h 16m
3. Chemical Reactions4h 10m
4. BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
5. BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions48m
6. Chemical Quantities & Aqueous Reactions3h 53m
7. Gases3h 49m
8. Thermochemistry2h 37m
9. Quantum Mechanics2h 58m
10. Periodic Properties of the Elements3h 9m
11. Bonding & Molecular Structure3h 29m
12. Molecular Shapes & Valence Bond Theory1h 57m
13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces2h 23m
14. Solutions3h 1m
15. Chemical Kinetics2h 53m
16. Chemical Equilibrium2h 29m
17. Acid and Base Equilibrium5h 1m
18. Aqueous Equilibrium4h 47m
19. Chemical Thermodynamics1h 50m
20. Electrochemistry2h 42m
21. Nuclear Chemistry2h 36m
22. Organic Chemistry5h 7m
23. Chemistry of the Nonmetals2h 39m
24. Transition Metals and Coordination Compounds3h 16m

13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces

Molecular Polarity

General Chemistry

13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces

Molecular Polarity

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following molecules is polar?

CO_2

NH_3

CCl_4

BF_3

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Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand that molecular polarity depends on both the polarity of individual bonds and the geometry (shape) of the molecule, which affects how bond dipoles add up.

Step 2: Analyze the molecular geometry of each molecule using VSEPR theory: CO_2 is linear, NH_3 is trigonal pyramidal, CCl_4 is tetrahedral, and BF_3 is trigonal planar.

Step 3: Consider the electronegativity differences and bond dipoles: all these molecules have polar bonds due to differences in electronegativity between atoms (e.g., N-H, C=O, B-F, C-Cl).

Step 4: Determine if the molecular geometry allows the bond dipoles to cancel out: in CO_2 (linear) and BF_3 (trigonal planar), the bond dipoles are symmetrically arranged and cancel, making the molecules nonpolar; in CCl_4 (tetrahedral), the symmetrical arrangement also cancels dipoles.

Step 5: Recognize that NH_3 has a trigonal pyramidal shape with a lone pair on nitrogen, causing an asymmetrical distribution of charge and resulting in a net dipole moment, making NH_3 polar.