Question

Given the electronegativity of each of the following atoms, rank the bonds from most polar (number 1) to least polar (number 5). O= 3.5, N = 3.0, C 2.5, H = 2.1.

Rank the options below.
C-C
C-O
C-H
O-H
C-N

Answer 1

To rank the bonds by polarity, the electronegativity differences are calculated. The O-H bond is the most polar with a difference of 1.4, followed by C-O, C-N, C-H, and finally C-C as the least polar, being nonpolar.

Step-by-step explanation:

To rank the bonds from most polar to least polar, we need to consider the electronegativity differences between the atoms involved. The difference in electronegativity indicates how equally the electrons are shared in a bond. Larger differences lead to more polar bonds.

1. O-H bond: Difference is 3.5 - 2.1 = 1.4, making it the most polar bond.
2. C-O bond: Difference is 3.5 - 2.5 = 1.0, the second most polar bond.
3. C-N bond: Difference is 3.0 - 2.5 = 0.5, with moderate polarity.
4. C-H bond: Difference is 2.5 - 2.1 = 0.4, less polar than the C-N bond.
5. C-C bond: There is no difference in electronegativity (2.5 - 2.5 = 0), so this bond is nonpolar.

Therefore, the bonds ranked from most polar to least polar are: O-H, C-O, C-N, C-H, C-C.