Question Detail

CHM 102 Practice Questions Objective Question

Question

Which molecule has a nonzero dipole moment?
Options
A Cl2
B CO2
C CCl4
D CHCl3
Correct Answer
Correct Answer

Option D is the correct answer.

Detailed Explanation

CHCl3 (chloroform) has a net dipole moment due to the electronegativity difference between C-H and C-Cl bonds and its asymmetric tetrahedral structure. Cl2, CO2 (linear), and CCl4 (tetrahedral) are all symmetric and have zero dipole moment.

Hint

Molecules with high symmetry often have a dipole moment of zero.

Question Info