AP BIOLOGY

BIOCHEMISTRY

POLAR AND NONPOLAR MOLECULES

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Classify the following molecule as polar or nonpolar:HF (hydrogen fluoride)
A
Polar
B
Nonpolar
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Hydrogen fluoride is a polar compound because the covalent bond between hydrogen and fluorine in this compound has a polar nature.

Detailed explanation-2: -Hydrogen fluoride (HF) can be described as a very polar molecule, while hydrogen (H2) is nonpolar. The origin of the polarization of the HF covalent bond has to do with electronegativity, an inherent property of all atoms.

Detailed explanation-3: -Let us first determine the polarity of these two molecules. The electronegativity of fluorine is more than hydrogen. So, the fluorine atom will exert a greater pull on the electrons than the hydrogen atom. Hence, the H-F bond is polar.

Detailed explanation-4: -Yes, hydrofluoric acid HF is polar because of the large electronegativity difference between hydrogen and fluorine. The molecule is polar covalent.

Detailed explanation-5: -CH3F is a polar molecule, even though the tetrahedral geometry often leads to nonpolar molecules.

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