Questions: 5. Which one of the following molecules is polar?
a. NH3
a. BeCl2
b. SiBr3
c. CCl4
d. O2
Transcript text: 5. Which one of the following molecules is polar?
a. $\mathrm{NH}_{3}$
a. $\mathrm{BeCl}_{2}$
b. $\mathrm{SiBr}_{3}$
c. $\mathrm{CCl}_{4}$
d. $\mathrm{O}_{2}$
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Understanding Molecular Polarity
Molecular polarity is determined by the distribution of electric charge around the molecule. A molecule is polar if it has a net dipole moment, which occurs when there is an uneven distribution of electrons across the molecule. This typically happens when there are polar bonds and the molecular geometry does not cancel out these dipoles.
Step 2: Analyzing Each Molecule
$\mathrm{NH}_{3}$ (Ammonia): This molecule has a trigonal pyramidal shape due to the lone pair on the nitrogen atom. The N-H bonds are polar, and the geometry does not cancel out the dipole moments, making $\mathrm{NH}_{3}$ a polar molecule.
$\mathrm{BeCl}_{2}$ (Beryllium Chloride): This molecule is linear, and the dipoles from the Be-Cl bonds cancel each other out, resulting in a nonpolar molecule.
$\mathrm{SiBr}_{3}$: This molecule is not a common or standard chemical formula. Assuming it is a typo or hypothetical, if it were to exist, the geometry and polarity would depend on its actual structure, which is not specified here.
$\mathrm{CCl}_{4}$ (Carbon Tetrachloride): This molecule has a tetrahedral shape, and the dipoles from the C-Cl bonds cancel each other out, making it nonpolar.
$\mathrm{O}_{2}$ (Oxygen): This is a diatomic molecule with no difference in electronegativity between the two oxygen atoms, making it nonpolar.
Step 3: Identifying the Polar Molecule
From the analysis, $\mathrm{NH}_{3}$ is the only molecule with a net dipole moment due to its trigonal pyramidal shape and polar N-H bonds.
Final Answer
The polar molecule is \(\boxed{\mathrm{NH}_{3}}\).