Which of the following compounds is the most polar?
HCl
HI
HBr
HF
HCl????
That isn't right. Show your work for difference between HF, HCl, HBr, HI
Don't guess.
To determine which of the listed compounds is the most polar, we need to consider the electronegativity difference between the atoms bonded together. The greater the electronegativity difference, the more polar the bond. In general, fluorine (F) is the most electronegative element, meaning it strongly pulls shared electrons towards itself.
Comparing the electronegativity differences for the listed compounds:
HCl: The electronegativity difference between hydrogen (H) and chlorine (Cl) is 3.16 - 2.20 = 0.96.
HI: The electronegativity difference between hydrogen (H) and iodine (I) is 2.20 - 2.66 = 0.46.
HBr: The electronegativity difference between hydrogen (H) and bromine (Br) is 2.20 - 2.96 = 0.76.
HF: The electronegativity difference between hydrogen (H) and fluorine (F) is 2.20 - 3.98 = 1.78.
As we can see, the electronegativity difference for HF is the greatest among the listed compounds. Therefore, HF is the most polar compound.