Electronegativity and Molecular Polarity

Flashcards covering key concepts about electronegativity, types of bonds, covalent bond characteristics, and molecular geometry.

Electronegativity

The ability of an atom to attract an electron.

Electronegativity Trend

Electronegativity increases from left to right and bottom to top on the periodic table (except noble gases).

Types of Bonds

The two types of bonds that hold compounds together are ionic and covalent.

Types of Covalent Bonds

There are two types of covalent bonds: polar and nonpolar.

Nonpolar Covalent Bond

A type of covalent bond that has an even distribution of electrons; occurs when the difference in electronegativity (^EN) is less than or equal to 0.4.

Polar Covalent Bond

A type of covalent bond that has an uneven distribution of electrons; occurs when the difference in electronegativity (^EN) is greater than or equal to 0.5.

Characteristics of a Polar Molecule

A polar molecule typically has a lone pair on the central atom and different terminal atoms.

Nonpolar Molecule with Polar Bonds

A nonpolar molecule can contain all polar bonds if there is no lone pair on the central atom and all terminal atoms are the same, causing the polar bonds to cancel each other out.

Polar Molecule with Nonpolar Bonds

A polar molecule can contain all nonpolar bonds if there is a lone pair on the central atom.