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Homework Help: Which are polar or nonpolar?

  1. Mar 18, 2007 #1

    linuxux

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

    All molecules are tetrahedral and polar except for [tex]SF_{6}[/tex] which is octahedral and nonpolar.
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2007
    linuxux, Mar 18, 2007
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  3. Mar 18, 2007 #2

    jakcn001

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    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.
     
    jakcn001, Mar 18, 2007
  4. Mar 18, 2007 #3

    Hootenanny

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    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.
     
    Hootenanny, Mar 18, 2007
  5. Mar 18, 2007 #4

    linuxux

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    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 [tex]PCl_{3}[/tex], unless i did something wrong, i haven't considered electro negativity yet however.
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2007
    linuxux, Mar 18, 2007
  6. Mar 18, 2007 #5

    linuxux

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    okay, is any of that right?...
     
    linuxux, Mar 18, 2007
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