Carbon tetrachloride CCl4 contains carbon (EN = 2.5) and chloride (EN = 3.0). Because of this, CCl4 is:
I think you must be searching for the word "covalent."
To determine whether carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a polar or nonpolar molecule, you need to consider the electronegativity difference between the atoms to determine the polarity of the molecule. The electronegativity (EN) values of carbon and chlorine are 2.5 and 3.0, respectively.
Step 1: Calculate the electronegativity difference (ΔEN) between carbon and chlorine.
ΔEN = EN of chlorine - EN of carbon
ΔEN = 3.0 - 2.5
ΔEN = 0.5
Step 2: Determine the type of bond present between carbon and chlorine.
- If ΔEN is close to zero (0-0.4), it is a nonpolar covalent bond.
- If ΔEN is between 0.5 and 1.7, it is a polar covalent bond.
- If ΔEN is greater than 1.7, it is an ionic bond.
In this case, the electronegativity difference (ΔEN = 0.5) falls within the range of 0.5 to 1.7, indicating a polar covalent bond between carbon and chlorine.
Step 3: Consider the molecular geometry.
The molecular geometry of carbon tetrachloride is tetrahedral, with the four chlorine atoms bonded to the central carbon atom.
Step 4: Determine the molecular polarity.
To determine the overall polarity of the molecule, you need to consider the geometry and the polarity of the individual bonds. In carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), the molecular geometry is symmetric, with the chlorine atoms arranged symmetrically around the carbon atom.
As a result, the polarities of the individual carbon-chlorine bonds cancel each other out, leading to a nonpolar molecule. Therefore, carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a nonpolar molecule despite the difference in electronegativity between carbon and chlorine.