Which is nonpolar: CF_4 or CH_2F_2?

1 Answer
anor277
Jun 6, 2016

CF_4 is non-polar.

Explanation:

Molecular polarity results from the vector sum of the individual C^(delta+)rarrF^(delta-) dipoles. Given a tetrahedron (and CF_4 certainly assumes this structure), the C-F dipoles sum to 0 (remember that the vector sum is the geometric sum). The C-H bond is fairly non-polar, and thus their equivalent vector sum with C-F dipoles is non-zero.

The same situation obtains when non-polar C(Cl)_4 is compared to polar chloroform, or (more polar) methylene chloride.

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