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 best describes the polarity of the molecule AsF_5?

AsF_5 is ionic.

AsF_5 is amphiprotic.

AsF_5 is a polar molecule.

AsF_5 is a nonpolar molecule.

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Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Identify the molecular geometry of AsF_5. Arsenic pentafluoride (AsF_5) has five fluorine atoms bonded to a central arsenic atom. The electron domain geometry for five bonding pairs is trigonal bipyramidal.

Step 2: Understand the symmetry of the molecule. In a trigonal bipyramidal geometry, the molecule is symmetrical with three fluorine atoms in the equatorial plane and two in the axial positions, arranged evenly around the central atom.

Step 3: Consider the polarity of individual bonds. Each As-F bond is polar because fluorine is more electronegative than arsenic, creating bond dipoles pointing from arsenic to fluorine.

Step 4: Analyze the vector sum of the bond dipoles. Due to the symmetrical trigonal bipyramidal shape, the bond dipoles cancel each other out, resulting in no net dipole moment for the molecule.

Step 5: Conclude the overall polarity. Since the bond dipoles cancel, AsF_5 is a nonpolar molecule despite having polar bonds. Therefore, the best description is that AsF_5 is nonpolar.