Chapter 10 Lecture

Basic Chemistry
Fourth Edition

Chapter 10 Properties of Solids

and Liquids
10.3 Electronegativity and Polarity

Learning Goal Use electronegativity

to determine the polarity of a bond or
a molecule.
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 Electronegativity and Polarity

We can learn more about the chemistry of

compounds by understanding how electrons are
shared in bonds.
•Bonds formed by identical atoms share the
bonding electrons equally.
•Bonds formed between different atoms share
the bonding electrons unequally.

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 Electronegativity

Electronegativity
• is the relative ability of atoms to attract shared
electrons
• is higher for nonmetals; fluorine has the
highest with a value of 4.0
• is lower for metals; cesium and francium have
the lowest value of 0.7

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 Electronegativity

We can use the periodic table to predict the

relative electronegativity value for each element.

Electronegativity
•increases from left to right going across a
period on the periodic table
•decreases going down a group on the
periodic table

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 Electronegativity

Figure 10.1 The electronegativity values of the representative

elements in Group 1A (1) to Group 7A (17), which indicate the
ability of atoms to attract shared electrons, increase going across
a period from left to right and decrease going down a group.
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 Learning Check

Using the periodic table, predict the order of

increasing electronegativity for the elements O,
K, and C.

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 Solution

Using the periodic table, predict the order of

increasing electronegativity for the elements O,
K, and C. Answer: K, C, O
•K, period 4, group 1A (1), has an
electronegativity value of 0.8.
•C, period 2, group 4A (14), has an
electronegativity value of 2.5.
•O, period 2, group 6A (16), has an
electronegativity value of 3.5.

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 Types of Covalent Bonds

Bonds can be described by the difference in the

electronegativity of the bonding atoms.
Two types of covalent bonds occur in molecules:
•nonpolar covalent bonds; bonding electrons are
shared equally
•polar covalent bonds; bonding electrons are
shared unequally

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 Nonpolar Covalent Bonds

A nonpolar covalent bond between nonmetal atoms

•consists of an equal (or almost equal) sharing of
electrons
•has a zero (or close to zero) electronegativity
difference (0.0 to 0.4)

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 Polar Covalent Bonds

A polar covalent bond between nonmetal atoms

•consists of an unequal sharing of electrons
•has an electronegativity difference of 0.5 to 1.7

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 Polar and Nonpolar Covalent Bonds

Figure 10.2 In the nonpolar covalent bond of H2, electrons are shared
equally. In the polar covalent bond of HCl, electrons are shared
unequally.
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 Dipoles and Bond Polarity

• Bonds become more polar as the difference in

electronegativity increases.
• A polar covalent bond that has a separation of
charges is called a dipole.
• The positive and negative ends are represented
by the Greek letter delta, with a + or − charge.
• Arrows can also be used to represent dipoles.

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 Variations in Bonding

Variations in bonding are continuous.

•Bonds with an electronegativity difference of
0.0 – 0.4 are considered nonpolar.
•Bonds with an electronegativity difference of
0.5 – 1.7 are considered polar covalent.
•Bonds with an electronegativity difference
greater than 1.8 are considered ionic.

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 Electronegativity and Types of Bonds

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 Predicting Bond Type

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 Learning Check

Complete the following table for each of the

bonds indicated.

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 Solution

Complete the following table for each of the

bonds indicated.

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 Polarity of Molecules—Nonpolar

In a nonpolar molecule, all the bonds are

nonpolar, or the polar bonds (dipoles) cancel
each other out.
Molecules such as H2, Cl2 and CH4 are nonpolar
because they contain only nonpolar bonds.

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 Polarity of Molecules—Nonpolar

A nonpolar molecule also occurs when polar

bonds (dipoles) cancel each other because of a
symmetrical arrangement.
Molecules such as CO2 and CCl4 contain polar
bonds with dipoles that cancel each other out.

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 Polarity of Molecules—Polar

A polar molecule occurs when the dipoles from

individual bonds do not cancel each other out.
For molecules with two or more electron groups,
the shape (such as bent or trigonal pyrimidal)
determines whether or not the dipoles cancel.

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 Polarity of Molecules—Polar

Examples of polar molecules include HCl, H 2O,

and NH3.
•HCl is linear and contains a polar bond.

•H2O is bent and contains two polar bonds as

well as two lone pairs on oxygen.

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 Polarity of Molecules—Polar

• NH3 is trigonal pyrimidal, and contains three

polar bonds and a lone pair on nitrogen.

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 Guide to Determination of Polarity of a
Molecule

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 Learning Check

Determine if the molecule OF2 is polar or

nonpolar.

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 Solution

Determine if the molecule OF2 is polar or

nonpolar.
Step 1 Determine if the bonds are polar or
nonpolar covalent.
Oxygen has an electronegativity of 3.5, and
fluorine has an electronegativity of 4.0. O—F
bonds are polar covalent.

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 Solution

Determine if the molecule OF2 is polar or

nonpolar.
Step 2 If the bonds are polar covalent, draw
the electron-dot formula and determine if the
dipoles cancel.
Dipoles in O—F bonds do not cancel;
the molecule is polar.

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