Chemistry 30

Chemical Bonding Properties of Molecules

1.

2.

For the following molecules determine which atoms are bonded (write the symbols with a bond
between them), the electronegativity difference between them, and the type of chemical bond
it represents. If the bond is ionic, state what ions are produced. If the bond is polar covalent,
indicate the direction of the dipole on the symbols from the first part.
a) KCl
Electronegativity difference = K - Cl = 0.8 - 3.0 = 2.2
bond K1+ Cl1b) LiBr
Electronegativity difference = Li - Br = 1.0 - 2.8 = 1.8
bond Li1+ Br1-

ionic

c) HI
Electronegativity difference = H - I = 2.1 - 2.5 = 0.4
covalent bond

polar

ionic

d) CF4

Electronegativity difference = C - F = 2.5 - 4.0 = 1.5

e) CaS
bond

Electronegativity difference = Ca - S = 1.0 - 2.5 = 1.5

polar covalent

f) H2Se
bond

Electronegativity difference = H - Se = 2.1 - 2.4 = 0.3

polar covalent

g) SiCl4
bond
h) P4

Electronegativity difference = Si - Cl = 1.8 - 3.0 = 1.2

polar covalent

i) FeCl3
bond
j) BrCl7
k) CS2
l) K2S

Electronegativity difference = Fe - Cl = 1.8 - 3.0 = 1.2

polar covalent

Electronegativity difference = Br - Cl = 2.8 - 3.0 = 0.2

Electronegativity difference = C - S = 2.5 - 2.5 = 0.0
Electronegativity difference = K - S = 0.8 - 2.5 = 1.7

covalent bond
covalent bond
ionic bond K1+ S2-

Electronegativity difference = P - P = 2.1 - 2.1 = 0.0

polar covalent bond

covalent bond

For c, d, f, g, and k from question 1 determine whether the molecules are polar, or nonpolar.
Show all work.
c) HI
Electronegativity difference = H - I = 2.1 - 2.5 = 0.4
covalent bond

shape: only 2 atoms

polar

since only 2 atoms the dipole does not cancel; this is a polar molecule.
d) CF4

Electronegativity difference = C - F = 2.5 - 4.0 = 1.5

shape: tetrahedral

polar covalent bond

F
F
This is a

bond dipoles exist but because the molecule is symmetrical the forces cancel.
non-polar molecule.

f) H2Se
bond

Electronegativity difference = H - Se = 2.1 - 2.4 = 0.3

polar covalent

shape: angular

Se

H
is a

bond dipoles exist and the shape causes the forces to reinforce each other. This
polar molecule.

g) SiCl4
bond

Electronegativity difference = Si - Cl = 1.8 - 3.0 = 1.2

polar covalent

shape: tetrahedral

Cl
Cl

Si
Cl

Cl

bond dipoles exist but because the molecule is symmetrical the forces cancel.
This is a

k) CS2

non-polar molecule.

Electronegativity difference = C - S = 2.5 - 2.5 = 0.0

shape: linear (bonded to 2 atoms with no lone pairs)

There are no bond dipoles; this is non-polar molecule.

covalent bond

3.

Consider the following data:

Element
Helium
Neon
Argon
Krypton
Xenon
Radon

Number of Electrons

Boiling Point (K)

2
10
18
36
54
86

4
27
87
121
166
211

Plot a graph of number of electrons (x-axis) vs boiling point (y-axis). Explain the trend.

These are single, uncharged atoms and so are non-polar.

As a result the force drawing them together is London dispersion.
London dispersion force increases with increasing number of electrons; thus in the graph as the
number of electrons increases, so does the London dispersion force, resulting in an increasing
boiling temperature.
4.

Explain why argon and fluorine gas have similar boiling points (-186C for argon, -188C for
fluorine).
Both argon and fluorine are non-polar (Ar because it is made of single atoms, F 2 because the
electronegativity difference is 0.0 and the bond is covalent).
Both have London dispersion force drawing them together.
These two are isoelectronic so the London force should be the same. This is manifested in
similar boiling temperatures.

5.

Why does liquid propane (C3H8) boil at a much lower temperature than gasoline (C8H18)?
Both are pure hydrocarbons and are non-polar (symmetry causes dipoles to cancel). Both have
london dispersion force. Propane has 26 electrons, gasoline has 66. Since gasoline has more
electrons, it has a higher london dispersion force and so has a higher boiling temperature than
propane.

6.

Given the following molecules:

i) methane
ii) propane

iii)
iv)

butane
methyl propane

a) Draw each structure

H
H

H
H

b) Predict the order of increasing melting point. Give reasons for your answer.
methane, propane, butane, methyl propane.
fewest electrons, lowest melting point. methyl propane is more compact than butane
so it packs
better in the solid phase and has the highest melting point.
c) Predict the order of increasing boiling point. Give reasons for your answer.
methane, propane, methyl propane, butane
fewest electrons, lowest boiling point. butane has more surface area in the liquid
phase so more
interactions with surrounding molecules give it a higher boiling
point.
7.

Both krypton (b.p. -152C) and hydrogen bromide (b.p. -67C) are isoelectronic. Explain what
factors could cause the difference in boiling points.
Kr is non-polar so only has london dispersion forces.
HBr is polar (END = 0.7, polar covalent bond, only 2 atoms so dipole cannot cancel) so has
dipole-dipole attraction.
Dipole-dipole is the stronger of the two forces, so HBr has the higher boiling temperature.

8.

The boiling point of Cl2 is -35C and the boiling point of C2H5Cl is +13C. Does the explanation
given in question 7 apply here? Explain.
Yes, it does. Chlorine has an END of 0.0, so no dipole is present and London dispersion forces
apply. All the bonds in chloroethane are polar, but they are not symmetrical because Cl has
the highest electronegativity and the molecule is polar with Cl being the negative end. Thus
the chloroethane has dipole-dipole attraction while chlorine has london dispersion force.

9.

Why is ethane (C2H6) a gas at room temperature while ethanol (C2H5OH) is a liquid? Explain
your answer in terms of the forces between the molecules.
Ethane is a non-polar pure hydrocarbon (the symmetry makes the dipoles cancel). Ethanol has
an -OH group which means ethanol molecules are attracted to one another by hydrogen
bonding. Since hydrogen bonding is such a strong force, the boiling point of ethanol is much
higher than that of ethane.

10. Which of the following covalent molecules exhibit hydrogen bonding:

a) CH3OH

b) CH3Cl

c) HF

d) HI

11. Which of the following will have the higher boiling point? Explain.
a)

Cl2 or I2

Both have an electronegativity difference of 0.0 so have no dipoles. London dispersion

forces apply and so the element with the greatest number of electrons has the greatest force
and the highest boiling point.
b)

SF2 or SBr2
END = S - F = 2.5 - 4.0 = 1.5

polar covalent bond

END = S - Br = 2.5 - 2.8 = 0.3

polar covalent bond

both molecules are angular because of S as the central atom and so are polar molecules
because the dipoles do not cancel out. The S - F bond is significantly more polar than the S Br bond, so it is likely that the dipole-dipole attraction in sulfur difluoride will be stronger,
giving it a higher boiling point.
c) NH3 or PH3
ammonia will have a higher boiling point. The N - H bond gives ammonia molecules
hydrogen bonding, while the END for P - H is 0.0, meaning this molecule has no dipoles and so
has only London dispersion attraction.
12. Consider the following data
Group of Central Atom Formula

Number of Electrons Boiling Point (C)

14

CH4
SiH4
GeH4
SnH4

10
18
36
54

-164
-112
- 88
- 52

15

NH3
PH3
AsH3
SbH3

10
18
36
54

16

H2O
H2S
H2Se
H2Te

10
18
36
54

+100
- 61
- 42
- 49

17

HF
HCl
HBr
HI

10
18
36
54

+
-

33
88
55
17

20
85
67
51

Graph the data. Connect the points representing the boiling points of the molecules from each
group (you will have four lines)

a) Explain why the boiling point of the first hydrogen compounds of groups 15, 16 and 17
display a reversal in the trend of higher boiling points with increasing number of
electrons.
NH3, H2O, and HF all display hydrogen bonding and so have significantly higher boiling
points compared to other members of the groups.
b) Explain why CH4, the first member of the group 14 hydrogen compounds, does not show
the reversal in trend displayed by the first hydrogen compound of the other elements.
All molecules in this group are symmetrical and bond dipoles, if present, cancel out,
making them non-polar. Since all members of this group are non-polar they exhibit
London dispersion forces and so boiling point increases steadily with number of
electrons.
c) The boiling points of the hydrogen compounds of the group 14 elements are consistently
lower than the
boiling points of the other hydrogen compounds. Give a reason for this
effect.
The molecules with central atoms from groups 15, 16 and 17 are all non-symmetrical so,
if bond dipoles exist, they will be polar. This contrasts with the molecules with group 14
central atoms which are all non-polar. Since the group 14 molecules have London
dispersion forces while the others have dipole-dipole attraction, the group 14 molecules
all have lower boiling points.

13. Explain in a few sentences the difference in the structure of diamond and graphite.
Both diamond and graphite are made of pure carbon bonded by network covalent bonds. The
major difference between them is that graphite is made of carbon bonded in 2 dimensional
sheets while diamond is bonded in 3 dimensions. This results in property differences; graphite
sheets are attracted to each other only with weak London dispersion forces so they slide over
each other easily. This makes graphite good for pencil leads and as oil less lubricants.
Diamond forms small, individual crystals valued for their beauty and hardness.
14. Predict which of the following pairs of metals is more metallic:
Generally elements are more metallic if they are lower on the Periodic Table, or further to the
right.
a) Al or Mg
b) Na or Mg
c) K or Sn
d) Li or Be
e) Na or Ca
f) Mg or Ca
15. Why does solid metallic silver have a much higher electrical conductivity than solid silver
chloride?
Solid silver is made up only of silver atoms connected by metallic bonds. This gives the silver
electrons freedom to move (delocalized electrons) and allows silver to conduct electricity.
Silver chloride is an ionic substance in which the electrons are held tightly by the respective
ions. As such it cannot conduct electricity in the solid phase; only if the ions are free to move
as in the liquid or dissolved state can these substances conduct electricity.
16. Why is it that when we hit a metal such as silver with a hammer it will only deform it, whereas
it would shatter NaCl?
Again, the delocalized electrons of a metal cause it to be malleable and ductile. An ionic
compound is brittle because of the nature of the ionic bond.
17. Would you expect SiO2 to be ductile?
This substance is held together by network covalent bonds. As a result this substance will be
brittle, rather than ductile.
18. Why is aluminum able to conduct heat better than quartz glass?
The delocalized electrons of a metal allow it to conduct heat as the electrons transfer their
kinetic energy throughout the material. Quartz has network covalent bonds in which the
electrons are tightly held in the bonds so they do not transfer heat well.
19. What kind of chemical bonds or attractive forces must be broken or overcome in order to:
a) melt diamond
b) sublime solid iodine
c) melt table salt
d) boil liquid ammonia
e) melt solid neon
f) melt iron

network covalent
London dispersion forces
ionic
hydrogen bonds
London dispersion forces
metallic