Are sulfur tetrafluoride (SF4) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) polar or nonpolar? (Select all that apply: ) SF4 is polar; SF4 is nonpolar: NF3 is polar; NF3 is nonpolar:
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is:
- SF4 is polar
- NF3 is polar
Explanation:
1. Sulfur Tetrafluoride (SF4):
SF4 is a polar molecule. This can be explained based on its molecular geometry and the electronegativity difference between sulfur and fluorine.
- SF4 has a see-saw molecular geometry due to the presence of one lone pair of electrons on the sulfur atom. This geometry is a result of the electron pairs in the valence shell of sulfur, which arrange themselves to minimize electron-electron repulsion.
- The electronegativity difference between sulfur and fluorine (where fluorine is more electronegative) causes a dipole moment to form. Since the molecule is not symmetrical due to the lone pair on sulfur, these dipoles do not cancel out, making SF4 a polar molecule.
2. Nitrogen Trifluoride (NF3):
NF3 is also a polar molecule. Here’s why:
- NF3 has a trigonal pyramidal geometry, which is caused by the lone pair of electrons on nitrogen. In this geometry, the fluorine atoms are positioned around nitrogen in a way that leads to unequal distribution of electron density.
- The fluorine atoms, being highly electronegative, attract the shared electrons more strongly than nitrogen. This creates a dipole moment, and because the molecule is not symmetrical (due to the lone pair on nitrogen), these dipoles do not cancel out, resulting in an overall polar molecule.
Conclusion:
Both SF4 and NF3 are polar molecules due to their molecular geometries and the electronegativity differences between the atoms involved.
