How do you determine if a bond is polar covalent?

Answer 1

Given below is the difference in electronegativity of any two elements:

• 0.0-0.4 = nonpolar covalent bond
• 0.4-1.7 = polar covalent bond
• >1.7 = ionic bond
• For ex. Sodium and Chlorine (Na and Cl)
• Sodium's electronegativity = 0.93
• Chlorine's electronegativity = 3.16
• So, 3.16-0.93 = 2.23 which means NaCl bond is an ionic bond

Answer:When differentiating between covalent (molecular) or ionic, the type of elements in the compound decides which it is. Covalent bonds are between non-metals only. Ionic bonds are between a metal and a non-metal.

Covalent bonds can either be polar or non-polar. You could determine this with the known electronegativities of the elements. First you have to represent the molecule by any means necessary (Lewis Dot Structure, lines, etc). This isn't nesessary for a compound with two atoms. Once drawn, you will know which atoms are bonded to the other atoms in the molecule. Then you look at the electronegativities for each element in one bond. If one atom's element has a higher electronegativity value than the other, then the bond is polar. If they are the same, then the bond is non-polar.

The reason a bond would be polar is because one atom has a higher electronegativity value, which means that the element has more attraction to electrons than the other. If it is attracting electrons more than the other, then the electrons are spending more time one one side. The disparity of electron distribution causes one side to be slightly negative (δ-) and the other to be slightly positive (δ+).

Answer 2

A bond is considered polar covalent if the atoms involved have different electronegativities and share the electrons unevenly, creating partial positive and negative charges on the atoms. This results in a separation of charge across the bond.

Answer 3

Let's suppose a bond between two elements. If the difference in electronegativity between the two elements is less than 1.9 the bond will be mostly covalent. If the difference in electronegativity is more than 1.9 the bond will be mostly ionic. If it is 1.9 the bond will be half covalent and half ionic.

The word "mostly" means that a bond is never wholly covalent nor wholly ionic. Both types are always present. It depends on the difference in electronegativity for one type to be predominant over the other.

Giovanni S. Crisi

Sao Paulo - Brazil Let's suppose a bond between two elements. If the difference in electronegativity between the two elements is less than 1.9 the bond will be mostly covalent. If the difference in electronegativity is more than 1.9 the bond will be mostly ionic. If it is 1.9 the bond will be half covalent and half ionic.

The word "mostly" means that a bond is never wholly covalent nor wholly ionic. Both types are always present. It depends on the difference in electronegativity for one type to be predominant over the other.

Giovanni S. Crisi

Sao Paulo - Brazil

Answer 4

ONE WAY IS TO TRY DISSOLVING THE SUBSTANCES IN WATER. WATER WILL DISSOLVE IONIC AND POLAR COVALENT SUBSTANCES. IF SOMETHING WON'T DISSOLVE IN WATER THEM IT IS NON-POLAR COVALENT. IF SOMETHING DOES DISSOLVE, THEN IT MUST BE EITHER POLAR COVALENT OR IONIC. NEXT, TRY PASSING A SMALL ELECTRIC CURREENT THROUGH IT. (DROP A 9 VOLT BATTERY IN IT. IF BUBBLES FORM ON THE TERMINALS, IT IS IONIC.) IF NO CURRENT WILL PASS THROUGH THE SOLUTION, IT IS POLAR COVALENT. IMPORTANT: DO NOT USE HOUSEHOLD CURRENT TO TEST THIS. IT CAN KILL YOU. SEND ME A MESSAGE ON MY MESSAGE BOARD IF YOU'D LIKE MORE DETAILS.

Answer 5

If you look at a Periodic Table, the top right (F) and bottom left (Fr) would make the most ionic bond, and top left (Li) and bottom right (At) would be most covalent. This is just based on electronegativity theory though... But their a good place to start.
Ionic bonding is formed through electrostatic attraction between a cation (usually a metal because they tend to lose electrons) and anion (usually a non metal). For example, NaF (Sodium Fluoride) has ionic bonding because it is composed by Sodium( a metal) and Fluorine( a non metal). On the other hand, covalent boding is characterized by atoms sharing pairs of electrons. For example, CH4 (Methane) has covalent bonding. Carbon has 4 valance electrons and Hydrogen 1, when they bond they have a total of 8 electrons and satisfy the octet rule. I hope this helps you.

Answer 6

to determine if a bond is polar or non polar you got to find out the electronegivity difference of the bonding atoms, a difference less than of 0.5 is non polar and a difference above 0.5 is polar .

Answer 7

You must take the electronegativity (EN) values of the elements involved in the bond. The you would subtract the lower value from the higher value giving you the difference in EN. A polar covalent bond has an EN difference of less than 0.2.

Answer 8

The higher the difference in electronegativity of the two atoms, the higher the polarity of the bond.

As a general rule, when you look at the periodic table, the greater the "sideways" distance between the two elements, the more polar the bond. For example, C-F should be more polar than O-F.

Answer 9

For this, you will need a Periodic Table of the Elements that has the electronegativities of each element.

To determine whether a bond is ionic, polar covalent, or non-polar covalent (mind you that it is impossible for elements to bond and to not be categorized under the 3 possible bonds), you must subtract the electronegativities of each element. Keep in mind, that the higher electronegativity should be subtracted by the lower electronegativity.

If two elements bond and have a difference in electronegativities of:
...0.0-0.4, then it is non-polar covalent.
...0.4-1.7, then it is polar covalent.
...greater than 1.7, then it is ionic.

Typically, in an ionic compound, all bonds are ionic, and there are no existing covalent bonds. If there were, then it would be a molecule. In a molecule, ALL bonds have to be polar to be a polar molecule. If one is non-polar, then it is a non-polar molecule.

Answer 10

This is possible by the comparison of the electronegativities of the two elements: for an ionic bond the difference is more than 1,7.