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Ch.10 - Chemical Bonding II: Molecular Shapes & Valence Bond Theory
Chapter 10, Problem 50

Determine whether each molecule in Exercise 36 is polar or nonpolar. a. CF4 b. NF3 c. OF2 d. H2S

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Molecular Geometry

Molecular geometry refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms within a molecule. The shape of a molecule is determined by the number of bonding pairs and lone pairs of electrons around the central atom, which can influence the distribution of charge and ultimately the polarity of the molecule.
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Electronegativity

Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract and hold onto electrons in a chemical bond. Differences in electronegativity between bonded atoms can lead to polar covalent bonds, where electrons are shared unequally, creating a dipole moment that contributes to the overall polarity of the molecule.
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Dipole Moment

A dipole moment is a vector quantity that represents the separation of positive and negative charges in a molecule. Molecules with a net dipole moment are considered polar, while those with symmetrical charge distribution and no net dipole moment are nonpolar. The presence of polar bonds and the molecular geometry together determine the overall polarity.
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