Question

Which of the following bonds has the smallest dipole moment?

1) C-H
2) O-H
3) C-N
4) C-O
5) C-F

Answer 1

The bond with the smallest dipole moment is the C-H bond, as it is only minimally polar due to a small electronegativity difference between carbon and hydrogen.

Step-by-step explanation:

The bond that has the smallest dipole moment among C-H, O-H, C-N, C-O, and C-F is the C-H bond. Dipole moment is a measure of the separation of positive and negative charge in a bond and depends on both the electronegativity difference between the bonded atoms and the bond length. The C-H bond is only minimally polar because the electronegativity difference between carbon and hydrogen is relatively small. Hence, this bond has the weakest polarity and thus the smallest dipole moment compared to the significantly more polar bonds like C-F, where fluorine's high electronegativity creates a substantial difference in charge distribution.