Which one of the compond are covalent
HF
RbF
LiF
NaF
Actually HF is approximately 50% ionic/50% co-valent character. In fact, Linus Pauling, when he developed his electronegativity scale (F = 4.0 arbitrarily), I understand that he used 50% for HF
To determine which compound is covalent among HF, RbF, LiF, and NaF, we need to understand some basic properties of covalent compounds.
Covalent compounds are formed between nonmetals, and they share electrons between the atoms to form chemical bonds. On the other hand, ionic compounds are formed between a metal and a nonmetal, where electrons are transferred from one atom to another.
Now, let's analyze the given compounds:
1. HF: Hydrogen fluoride (HF) consists of a hydrogen atom bonded to a fluorine atom. Both hydrogen and fluorine are nonmetals. Therefore, HF is a covalent compound.
2. RbF: Rubidium fluoride (RbF) consists of a rubidium atom and a fluorine atom. Rubidium is a metal, and fluorine is a nonmetal. When a metal and a nonmetal combine, they typically form an ionic compound. Hence, RbF is an ionic compound.
3. LiF: Lithium fluoride (LiF) consists of a lithium atom and a fluorine atom. Similarly to RbF above, lithium is a metal, while fluorine is a nonmetal. Therefore, LiF is an ionic compound.
4. NaF: Sodium fluoride (NaF) contains a sodium atom and a fluorine atom. Like the previous two compounds, sodium is a metal, and fluorine is a nonmetal. Thus, NaF is an ionic compound.
To summarize, among the given compounds, HF is the only one that is covalent. RbF, LiF, and NaF are all ionic compounds.