Final answer:
Ozone (O₃) has a permanent dipole moment because it has a bent molecular shape with an uneven distribution of electrons across the oxygen atoms. The molecule's polar nature results in dipole-dipole interactions. Ozone's structure differs from nonpolar molecules like diatomic oxygen (O₂), which lacks such a dipole moment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ozone's Permanent Dipole Moment
Ozone (O₃) is an interesting molecule with a polar structure that gives it a permanent dipole moment. Unlike diatomic oxygen (O₂), ozone is not linear; it has a bent molecular shape. This bent shape is crucial as it prevents the electronegativity-induced dipoles from canceling each other out, similar to the way water molecules exhibit a permanent dipole.
The molecule's central oxygen atom forms resonance structures to distribute the electrons across the three oxygen atoms. In an ozone molecule, the two terminal oxygen atoms have a partially negative charge, while the central oxygen atom carries a partially positive charge. This uneven distribution of charges is what gives ozone its polar nature and results in dipole-dipole interactions as the dominant intermolecular force between ozone molecules.
Unlike water, which experiences hydrogen bonding due to the presence of hydrogen atoms, ozone does not have hydrogen bonding. However, it still has a significant polar character due to its geometry and the differences in electronegativity between the oxygen atoms, which creates distinctive regions of partial positive and negative charges.