AP BIOLOGY

BIOCHEMISTRY

POLAR AND NONPOLAR MOLECULES

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Which of the following molecules contains polar bonds but is NOT a polar molecule?
A
Chlorine, Cl2
B
Hydrogen chloride, HCl
C
Trichloromethane, CHCl3
D
Tetrachloromethane, CCl4
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Carbon tetrachloride is the only listed molecule that has polar bonds but is nonpolar. Therefore, the correct answer is CCl4.

Detailed explanation-2: -Hence, Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) has non-polar covalent bonds between carbon and chlorine.

Detailed explanation-3: -Carbon dioxide CO2 has polar bonds but is a nonpolar molecule. The structure of CO2 is linear. The individual bond dipoles cancel each other as they point in opposite direction and are equal in magnitude. Hence, the molecule is non polar with zero dipole moment.

Detailed explanation-4: -Properties. In the carbon tetrachloride molecule, four chlorine atoms are positioned symmetrically as corners in a tetrahedral configuration joined to a central carbon atom by single covalent bonds. Because of this symmetric geometry, CCl4 is non-polar.

Detailed explanation-5: -As a result, CCl4 has no net positive or negative dipole moment. If an atom other than chlorine had been positioned at any other place in a molecule, the molecule would have a dipole moment and CCl4 would be polar as a result. That’s the quick answer regarding the polarity of carbon tetrachloride.

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