Which are polar or nonpolar?

[linuxux]

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
The question asks which are polar or non-polar: ClO_{4}^{-},H_{2}S,SF_{6},PCl_{3} ?

All molecules are tetrahedral and polar except for SF_{6} which is octahedral and nonpolar.

[jakcn001]

It has something to do with the electron configuration. Like H-S-H, it is not linear. And the center of H is not the same as S. So you can analysize the electron configuration.Therefore you can determine whether it is polar or not.

[Hootenanny]

linuxux, you may wish to consider the relative electronegativity values of each atom that makes up the molecule.

As an aside, not all molecular gasses are polar; take hydrogen, chlorine, methane for example. Polarity depends not only on the electronegativity of each atom, but also the actual shape of the molecules themselves.

[linuxux]

i already did all the lewis dot diagrams, they all fit into the electrostatic repulsion geometry, the only one that didn't have an all symmetric geometry was PCl_{3}, unless i did something wrong, i haven't considered electro negativity yet however.

[linuxux]

okay, is any of that right?...