Question

Which of the following molecules is nonpolar?

Answer 1

check the electronegativity differences between 2 atoms joined by a covalent bond, if they difference is greater than 0.4, then that bond has a dipole moment.

After you've done that, check for symmetry on the molecule. Since dipole moments are vector quantities (they have direction and magnitude) check if any of these cancel out.

For example, in \(CO_2\), each C=O bond is polar, but the molecule as a whole is not. This is because each dipole moment of the individual bonds cancel out when you add them because they point in opposite directions and have the same magnitude (recall they're vectors).

Answer 2

urghh....head hurting...
I don't understand Chemistry, most of what you just said was just gibberish to me, but I'll try to use basic logic to decipher this odd language...

Answer 3

if you dont understand any of the terms look them up on google.

Answer 4

Yes...but how in the nine hells do you check for symmetry? And if there is symmetry, does that mean that they're polar or nonpolar?

Answer 5

have you used vectors before?

Answer 6

watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOIhoGoQxIc

Answer 7

OK...I don't know what any of these molecules are. They gave me the symbols, but I have no iea. I mean, what the hell is this :N ≡ :N?

Answer 8

@ganeshie8 @texaschic101

Answer 9

do you know how to draw lewis dot structures?

Answer 10

barely.

Answer 11

Again, I suck at Chemistry. It's by far my worst subject this year - and although my grade point average is still in the 90s, it's only due to the Internet

Answer 12

well i guess thats part of the problem. It's all practice, do a couple and you'll get the hang of it. If you wanna understand further concepts you have to know these basic ones. If you dont, then i dont know why i'm typing all of this.

Answer 13

OK...can you help me interpret all these symbols and structures and whatnot? Cause I have absolutely no clue what molecules they're talking about

Answer 14

the identities of all these symbols (as well as their electronegativities) are given in the periodic table.

Answer 15

Still confused...the closest thing to :N is nitrogen...but why are there two dots behind it?

Answer 16

too represent the electrons? Is this Lewis Dot structure?

Answer 17

yep, the whole picture \(:N\equiv N:\) is a lewis dot structure

Answer 18

it represents the arrange of electrons in the molecule

Answer 19

arragement*

Answer 20

GAAAHHH...
(currently banging my head on the table)

Answer 21

Alright...so what do the three lines represent?

Answer 22

Is it a compound of two nitrogen molecules, each with two electrons?

Answer 23

That doesn't seem to make sense..

Answer 24

each line represents a bond between the atoms, each bond is made up of 2 electrons

Answer 25

OK...so there's a 6 electron bond between two nitrogen atoms, which have two electrons each

Answer 26

That's pretty symmetrical, I'd say nonpolar?

Answer 27

yep, recall each atom wants a total of 8 valence electrons around it

Answer 28

yes....6 + 2 = 8
So I am right then?
The first is correct?

Answer 29

it is non-polar, but you should first use their electrogatitives (found on the periodic table), since there're the same atom their electronegativities are the same. The difference is 0, thus non-polar

Answer 30

Right, because they're the same. :D
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Answer 31

no problem. you should review lewis dot structures, it'll make things much easier to interpret.