Which of the following is a covalent compound composed of nonpolar covalent bonds?
Answer
>>H2
H2O
CF4
CH4
NaF
To determine which of the following compounds is a covalent compound composed of nonpolar covalent bonds, we need to first understand what covalent and nonpolar covalent bonds are.
Covalent bonds occur when two atoms share electrons. Nonpolar covalent bonds specifically refer to a type of covalent bond where the shared electrons are equally shared between the atoms, resulting in a balanced distribution of charge. This means that the molecules formed by nonpolar covalent bonds are usually symmetrical.
Now, let's analyze each compound:
1. H2: Hydrogen gas (H2) consists of two hydrogen atoms bonded together. Since the atoms are the same, the molecule is symmetrical, and the bond between them is nonpolar covalent.
2. H2O: Water (H2O) consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, so the shared electrons are pulled more towards the oxygen atom, creating a polar covalent bond. Therefore, H2O does not have nonpolar covalent bonds.
3. CF4: Carbon tetrafluoride (CF4) consists of one carbon atom and four fluorine atoms. Carbon and fluorine have a significant electronegativity difference, resulting in polar covalent bonds. CF4 does not have nonpolar covalent bonds.
4. CH4: Methane (CH4) consists of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. The atoms are all the same, and the molecule is symmetrical, so the bond between them is nonpolar covalent.
5. NaF: Sodium fluoride (NaF) contains a metal (sodium) and a nonmetal (fluorine). Metal and nonmetal combinations typically form ionic compounds, where electrons are transferred rather than shared. Therefore, NaF does not have covalent bonds.
Based on the analysis above, the compound that is a covalent compound composed of nonpolar covalent bonds is CH4.