Question

What property is the polar covalent compound SO₂ likely to exhibit?

a) High boiling point
b) Low electronegativity
c) Low solubility in water
d) Polarization

Answer 1

The polar covalent compound SO₂ is likely to exhibit the property of polarization due to its ability to form dipole-dipole interactions with other polar molecules.

Step-by-step explanation:

The polar covalent compound SO₂ is likely to exhibit properties consistent with molecules that have an uneven distribution of electron density. One of the characteristics of polar molecules is their ability to engage in dipole-dipole interactions, which is a kind of intermolecular force. Dipole-dipole interactions occur between positively and negatively charged ends of polar molecules, leading to an increase in the melting points and boiling points compared to nonpolar molecules with similar sizes and shapes. Additionally, as SO₂ is a polar molecule and water is a polar solvent, SO₂ is likely to be soluble in water due to its ability to form dipole-dipole interactions with water molecules, and it will exhibit polarization. On this basis, SO₂ will exhibit the property of polarization among the given options.