When determining partial negatives and partial positives, does the partial postive go with the more electronegative atom? Ex: C=O, the polarity arrow goes toward the O because its more electronegative than the C but which atom gets the partial negative and which has the partial positive?
The dipole moment by convention points to the more positive region, in the case of CO, it will point toward the C from the O. The atom gaining electrons (more electronegative) is the partial negative.
Determining the partial negative and partial positive charges in a molecule helps to understand its polarity. In the case of the C=O bond, the polarity arrow points towards the more electronegative atom, which is oxygen (O).
To determine which atom gets the partial negative charge and which atom has the partial positive charge, you need to consider the electronegativity difference between the two atoms.
Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons towards itself in a chemical bond. Oxygen has a higher electronegativity than carbon. Therefore, oxygen attracts the electron pair in the C=O bond more strongly, making it partially negative.
Conversely, carbon (C) has a lower electronegativity, so it has a weaker ability to attract electrons compared to oxygen. As a result, carbon carries a partial positive charge in the C=O bond.
In summary, in the C=O bond, oxygen (O) has a partial negative charge, and carbon (C) has a partial positive charge.