Multiple Choice
Which of the following substances would you expect to have a nonzero dipole moment?
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13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces
Molecular Polarity
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Which of the following is the best method to determine whether a molecule is polar?
A
Examine the molecular geometry and the electronegativity differences between atoms to see if there is a net dipole moment.
B
Count the total number of atoms in the molecule.
C
Check if the molecule contains only nonmetals.
D
Determine if the molecule has a high melting point.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that molecular polarity depends on the presence of polar bonds and the overall shape of the molecule, which affects how bond dipoles add up.
Identify the electronegativity difference between atoms in each bond; a significant difference indicates a polar bond with a dipole moment.
Examine the molecular geometry (shape) using VSEPR theory to see how the individual bond dipoles are oriented in three-dimensional space.
Determine if the bond dipoles cancel each other out due to symmetry or if they add up to create a net dipole moment, which indicates a polar molecule.
Conclude that the best method to determine molecular polarity is to analyze both the electronegativity differences and the molecular geometry to assess the net dipole moment.
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