Permanent dipoles in molecules

[Roodles01]

As I understand, when an electric field is applied to an atom then the nucleus and electron cloud will be shifted out of balance giving rise to an electric dipole moment. Some molecules have permanent dipole moments though,
e.g. Hydrogen Chloride,

". . . when a hydrogen chloride molecule is formed, the chemical bonding leads to a net shift of the electron cloud from the hydrogen atom to the chlorine atom . . .This leaves the hydrogen end of the molecule with a deficit of negative charge, and the chlorine end has an excess of negative charge . . . The result is a permanent electric dipole moment"

I have only just scratched the surface of permanent dipoles in my study of electromagnetism, but if a molecule has a permanent electric dipole moment are there any physical properties that can be attributed to it when on a grand scale.
i.e. does it make it more slippery, give it texture or . . . anything else.

Idle curiosity from me but I'd love to know.

 

[Borek]

Good question, The answer is yes - and no.

Yes - there are properties of the substances that arise from their dipole moment, no, they are not easily related to physical properties of the kind you have mentioned.

Liquids with a high dipole moment of molecules tend to dissolve well ionic substances (or substances with a high dipole moment, we call them "polar solvents" and "polar substances"). Also in general the higher the dipole moment of molecules, the higher the permittivity of the substance.

 

[Roodles01]

Thanks.
Perhaps I can make this a thesis for my Doctorate (if I ever get over A-Levels =)))

 

[Borek]

Perhaps I can make this a thesis for my Doctorate (if I ever get over A-Levels =)))

Too late for that, that's one of these thing that have been researched to death in the last 100 years.

 

[LudusRex]

I can confirm that the presence of permanent dipoles in molecules does indeed have physical consequences on a macroscopic scale. These dipoles can interact with external electric fields, leading to various effects such as the alignment of molecules in a certain direction, changes in the boiling point of a substance, and even the ability to dissolve in certain solvents.

In the case of hydrogen chloride, its permanent dipole moment makes it a polar molecule, meaning that the positive and negative charges are not evenly distributed throughout the molecule. This in turn affects its ability to mix with other substances and can also impact its reactivity with other molecules.

Additionally, the presence of permanent dipoles can also contribute to intermolecular forces, which are responsible for the cohesive forces between molecules. This can affect the physical properties of a substance, such as its melting and boiling points, density, and even its texture.

So to answer your question, yes, permanent dipoles in molecules do have physical consequences on a macroscopic scale and can contribute to various properties of a substance. I hope this helps answer your curiosity.