The bromine monofluoride molecule, BrF, has a bond length of 1.76 Å and a dipole moment of 1.29 D. a. Which atom of the molecule is expected to have a negative charge?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atoms involved in the BrF molecule: bromine (Br) and fluorine (F).
2. Recall that electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract electrons in a bond.
3. Compare the electronegativities of bromine and fluorine. Fluorine is more electronegative than bromine.
4. Understand that the more electronegative atom will attract the shared electrons more strongly, resulting in a partial negative charge.
5. Conclude that the fluorine atom is expected to have a negative charge due to its higher electronegativity compared to bromine.

Key Concepts

Electronegativity

Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract and hold onto electrons in a chemical bond. In the case of bromine monofluoride (BrF), bromine is more electronegative than fluorine, meaning it will attract the shared electrons more strongly, leading to a partial negative charge on bromine.

Dipole Moment

The dipole moment is a vector quantity that represents the separation of positive and negative charges in a molecule. It is calculated as the product of the charge and the distance between the charges. In BrF, the dipole moment indicates that there is an uneven distribution of electron density, confirming that one atom carries a partial negative charge.

Bond Length

Bond length is the distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms. In BrF, the bond length of 1.76 Å reflects the size and strength of the bond between bromine and fluorine. Understanding bond length helps in visualizing the spatial arrangement of atoms and the influence of atomic size and electronegativity on molecular properties.