0 votes
28 views
ago in Chemical bonding by (121k points)
What is the dipole moment of carbon dioxide and how does it differ from the dipole moment of water? Use your knowledge of the molecular geometry and bond polarity of these molecules to explain their dipole moments.

1 Answer

0 votes
ago by (290 points)
The dipole moment of a molecule is a measure of its overall polarity, which arises from the difference in electronegativity between the atoms in the molecule and their arrangement in space. It is represented by the Greek letter   mu  and is measured in Debye units  D .Carbon dioxide  CO2  has a linear molecular geometry, with the carbon atom in the center and the two oxygen atoms on either side. The carbon-oxygen bonds are polar due to the difference in electronegativity between carbon  2.55  and oxygen  3.44 . However, because of the linear geometry, the two bond dipoles are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, effectively canceling each other out. As a result, the net dipole moment of CO2 is zero  0 D .Water  H2O , on the other hand, has a bent molecular geometry with a bond angle of approximately 104.5 degrees between the two hydrogen atoms and the oxygen atom. The oxygen-hydrogen bonds are also polar due to the difference in electronegativity between oxygen  3.44  and hydrogen  2.20 . In this case, the bond dipoles do not cancel each other out because of the bent geometry. The net dipole moment of water is approximately 1.85 D, which indicates that water is a polar molecule.In summary, the dipole moment of carbon dioxide is zero due to its linear molecular geometry and the cancellation of bond dipoles, while the dipole moment of water is 1.85 D due to its bent molecular geometry and the presence of a net molecular dipole. This difference in dipole moments results in different physical and chemical properties for these two molecules, such as water's ability to form hydrogen bonds and its higher boiling point compared to carbon dioxide.
Welcome to Sarvan Science Q&A, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of the community.
...