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Ch. 1 - Remembering General Chemistry: Electronic Structure and Bonding (Part 2)
Bruice - Organic Chemistry 8th Edition
Bruice8th EditionOrganic ChemistryISBN: 9780135213711Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksBruice 8th EditionCh. 1 - Remembering General Chemistry: Electronic Structure and Bonding (Part 2)Problem 57b
Chapter 2, Problem 57b

Rank the bonds from most polar to least polar.
b. C—Cl, C—I, C—Br

Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the concept of bond polarity. Bond polarity arises due to the difference in electronegativity between the two atoms involved in the bond. The greater the electronegativity difference, the more polar the bond.
Step 2: Recall the electronegativity values of the elements involved. Carbon (C) has an electronegativity of approximately 2.55. The halogens have the following electronegativities: Chlorine (Cl) ≈ 3.16, Bromine (Br) ≈ 2.96, and Iodine (I) ≈ 2.66.
Step 3: Calculate the electronegativity differences for each bond. For C—Cl, the difference is |3.16 - 2.55|. For C—Br, the difference is |2.96 - 2.55|. For C—I, the difference is |2.66 - 2.55|.
Step 4: Compare the electronegativity differences. The bond with the largest difference will be the most polar, and the bond with the smallest difference will be the least polar.
Step 5: Rank the bonds based on the calculated differences. Arrange them from most polar to least polar based on the electronegativity differences: C—Cl, C—Br, C—I.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Electronegativity

Electronegativity is a measure of an atom's ability to attract and hold onto electrons in a chemical bond. The greater the difference in electronegativity between two bonded atoms, the more polar the bond becomes. In the context of the given bonds, understanding the electronegativity values of carbon, chlorine, bromine, and iodine is essential for determining the polarity of each bond.
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Electronegativity

Bond Polarity

Bond polarity refers to the distribution of electrical charge across a bond between two atoms. A polar bond occurs when there is a significant difference in electronegativity, leading to an unequal sharing of electrons. In the question, the bonds C—Cl, C—I, and C—Br can be ranked based on their bond polarity, which is influenced by the relative electronegativities of the atoms involved.
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Polarity Ranking

Polarity ranking involves comparing the polarities of different bonds based on their electronegativity differences. In this case, the bonds can be ranked from most polar to least polar by evaluating the electronegativity values of chlorine, bromine, and iodine relative to carbon. This ranking helps predict the behavior of molecules in various chemical environments, such as solubility and reactivity.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Draw a Lewis structure for each of the following:

d. NH2O−

Textbook Question

Predict the approximate bond angles:

c. the C—N—H bond angle in (CH3)2NH

d. the C—N—C bond angle in (CH3)2NH

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Textbook Question

Draw a Lewis structure for each of the following:

b. CH3OCH3

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Rank the bonds from most polar to least polar.

d. C—H, C—C, C—N

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Textbook Question

Draw a Lewis structure for each of the following:

b. HNO2

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Textbook Question

Rank the bonds from most polar to least polar.

c. H—O, H—N, H—C

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