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11 grade chemistry others

Which of the following has zero dipole moment?
A. BF3

B. BeClBr
C. CH2Cl2

D. COS

Profile image of Aniket Singh
1 Year agoGrade
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1 Answer

Profile image of Askiitians Tutor Team
1 Year ago

To determine which molecule has zero dipole moment, let's consider the molecular geometry and the polarities of the bonds within each molecule.

A. BF3:
BF3 has a trigonal planar geometry with three identical B-F bonds. Since the fluorine atom is more electronegative than boron, each B-F bond is polar, but they cancel each other out due to the symmetric arrangement, resulting in a molecule with zero dipole moment.

B. BeClBr:
BeClBr also has a trigonal planar geometry. However, unlike BF3, BeClBr has different atoms (chlorine and bromine) bonded to the central beryllium atom. The polarities of the Cl-Be and Br-Be bonds do not cancel each other out due to the different electronegativities of chlorine and bromine, resulting in a non-zero dipole moment.

C. CH2Cl2:
CH2Cl2 has a tetrahedral geometry with four different atoms bonded to the central carbon atom. The C-H bonds are non-polar, but the C-Cl bonds are polar due to the difference in electronegativity between carbon and chlorine. The dipole moments of the C-Cl bonds do not cancel out due to the asymmetrical arrangement, resulting in a non-zero dipole moment for the molecule.

D. COS:
COS has a linear geometry with a carbon-oxygen double bond and a sulfur atom bonded to the carbon atom. The C=O bond is polar, but the C=S bond is less polar. However, the opposing directions of the bond dipoles cancel each other out, resulting in a molecule with zero dipole moment.

So, the correct answer is:
D. COS