The compound which will form the strongest dipole between CCl4;CO2;BF3;HCL;PF3
To determine which compound will form the strongest dipole, we need to consider the polarity of each molecule. A dipole occurs when there is an uneven distribution of electron density within a molecule, resulting in a positive and a negative end.
To assess the polarity of a molecule, we need to look at the molecular geometry and the electronegativity values of the atoms involved. The greater the difference in electronegativity between atoms, the stronger the dipole.
Let's examine each compound:
1. CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride): The molecule has a tetrahedral shape, with carbon at the center and four chlorine atoms around it. Chlorine (electronegativity = 3.16) is more electronegative than carbon (electronegativity = 2.55), but the molecule is symmetric, meaning the dipole moments cancel out, resulting in a nonpolar molecule.
2. CO2 (carbon dioxide): The molecule has a linear shape, with carbon in the center and two oxygen atoms on each side. Oxygen (electronegativity = 3.44) is more electronegative than carbon, resulting in a polar bond. However, the molecule is symmetric, so the dipole moments also cancel out, making CO2 a nonpolar molecule.
3. BF3 (boron trifluoride): The molecule has a trigonal planar shape, with boron in the center and three fluorine atoms surrounding it. Fluorine (electronegativity = 3.98) is more electronegative than boron (electronegativity = 2.04), resulting in polar bonds. The molecule is symmetric, so the dipole moments cancel out, making BF3 a nonpolar molecule.
4. HCl (hydrogen chloride): The molecule has a linear shape, with hydrogen on one end and chlorine on the other. Chlorine (electronegativity = 3.16) is more electronegative than hydrogen (electronegativity = 2.20), resulting in a polar bond. The molecule is not symmetric, so the dipole moments do not cancel out. Therefore, HCl is a polar molecule with a strong dipole.
5. PF3 (phosphorus trifluoride): The molecule has a trigonal pyramidal shape, with phosphorus in the center and three fluorine atoms surrounding it. Fluorine (electronegativity = 3.98) is more electronegative than phosphorus (electronegativity = 2.19), resulting in polar bonds. The molecule is not symmetric, so the dipole moments do not cancel out. Therefore, PF3 is a polar molecule with a dipole.
From the analysis above, we can conclude that HCl and PF3 will form the strongest dipoles among the given compounds.