Polarity

Front

What is polarity in chemistry?

Back

Polarity refers to the distribution of electrical charge over the atoms joined by the bond. It determines how electrons are shared between atoms.

Front

What is electronegativity?

Back

Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract and hold onto electrons in a chemical bond.

Front

What is a polar covalent bond?

Back

A polar covalent bond is a type of chemical bond where electrons are shared unequally between two atoms, resulting in a partial positive charge on one atom and a partial negative charge on the other.

Front

What is a nonpolar covalent bond?

Back

A nonpolar covalent bond is a type of chemical bond where electrons are shared equally between two atoms, resulting in no charge separation.

Front

What is the significance of the difference in electronegativity?

Back

The difference in electronegativity between two atoms determines the type of bond formed: nonpolar covalent (difference < 0.4), polar covalent (difference between 0.4 and 1.7), or ionic (difference > 1.7).

Front

What happens to electrons in a polar covalent bond?

Back

In a polar covalent bond, electrons are attracted more towards the atom with the greater electronegativity.

Front

What is the electronegativity difference for a bond to be considered ionic?

Back

A bond is considered ionic if the difference in electronegativity is greater than 1.7.

Front

How do you determine if a molecule is polar or nonpolar?

Back

A molecule is polar if it has a net dipole moment due to the arrangement of polar bonds; it is nonpolar if the bond dipoles cancel each other out.

Front

What is a dipole moment?

Back

A dipole moment is a measure of the separation of positive and negative charges in a molecule, indicating its polarity.

Front

Can a molecule with polar bonds be nonpolar?

Back

Yes, if the polar bonds are symmetrically arranged, their dipoles can cancel out, resulting in a nonpolar molecule.