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Chapter 6: Problem 18

What determines the electron distribution between two atoms in a bond?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The distribution of shared electrons between two atoms in a bond is determined by the difference in electronegativity of these atoms.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Electron Distribution

In covalent bonding, atoms share electrons. The region where you have the maximum probability of finding a bonded pair of electrons is called an electron cloud. An electron cloud's shape is determined by the difference in electronegativity between the involved atoms.
02

Identifying Influential Factors

The distribution of these shared electrons between two atoms in a bond is primarily determined by the difference in electronegativity of the atoms. Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract shared electrons towards itself. If one atom is more electronegative than the other, the electron cloud tends to be distorted towards the more electronegative atom.
03

Example Demonstration - Water Molecule

Consider the water molecule \(H_2O\). The electronegativity of Oxygen is more than that of Hydrogen. Hence, the electron cloud is distorted more towards Oxygen resulting in a polar covalent bond.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Ionic compounds tend to have higher boiling points than covalent substances do. Both ammonia, \(\mathrm{NH}_{3},\) and methane \(\mathrm{CH}_{4},\) are covalent compunds, yet the boiling point of ammonia is \(130^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\) higher than that of methane. What might account for this large difference?

Name the following compounds, draw their Lewis structures, and determine their shapes. a. \(\mathrm{SiCl}_{4}\) b. \(\mathrm{BCl}_{3}\) c. \(\mathrm{NBr}_{3}\)

Use the following terms to create a concept map: valence electrons, nonpolar, covalent compounds, polar, dipoles, and Lewis structures.

Draw Lewis structures for the following polyatomic ions. a. \(\mathrm{CO}_{3}^{2-}\) b. \(\mathrm{O}_{2}^{2-}\) c. \(\mathrm{PO}_{4}^{3-}\)

Determine the shapes of the following compounds. a. \(\mathrm{CF}_{4}\) b. \(\mathrm{Cl}_{2} \mathrm{O}\)
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