248 views
3 votes
Which of the following compounds would you expect to be the most polar molecule?H2OH2SeH2TeH2S

User LAS
by
4.6k points

2 Answers

2 votes

Final answer:

Water (H2O) is the most polar molecule among the given compounds due to its bent molecular geometry and the high electronegativity difference between oxygen and hydrogen, resulting in a strong dipole moment.

Step-by-step explanation:

You asked which of the following compounds would be the most polar molecule: H2O, H2Se, H2Te, or H2S. Among these, H2O (water) would be expected to be the most polar molecule. The polarity of a molecule is determined by its molecular geometry and the difference in electronegativity between its atoms.

Water has a bent molecular geometry and a high electronegativity difference between oxygen (more electronegative) and hydrogen, which creates a strong dipole moment. The other molecules listed (H2Se, H2Te, and H2S) also have bent geometries but the central atoms (Se, Te, S) are less electronegative than oxygen, leading to weaker polarity compared to H2O.

User Allen Chan
by
4.8k points
3 votes

Answer: H2O

Explanation:To determine the most polar molecules one could look at the electronegativities between the molecules involved. The greatest difference in electronegativity will correspond to the most electronegative compound.