Which of the following molecule has the maximum dipole moment?

Which of the following molecule has the maximum dipole moment?
  1. NH3
  2. CS2
  3. C2H6
  4. NCl3

Solution

The dipole moment depends on the charge and distance between the central atom and side atoms. But the charge is more prominent than distance. It is determined as polar and non-polar molecules. It can be determined by the geometry of the molecule.

In case of NCl3 & NH3 the electronegativity difference between N-H is higher than the electronegativity difference between N-Cl bond so the shared pair of electrons shifted towards chlorine in case of  NCl3 and in case of NH3 it will be towards Nitrogen. So, for NH3 the net dipole moment will be towards the direction of lone pair and will be added up into the dipole moment of lone pair while in case of NCl3 the moment due to three bond pairs will be in opposite direction to the dipole moment of the lone pair, and it will be subtracted results in lower value of net dipole moment.

In case of CS2, it has the linear shape and so their moment is balanced and so net dipole moment is zero.

In case of ethane C2H6, the electronegativity difference between carbon and hydrogen is minimal so unbranched alkanes have zero dipole moment. 

Hence, NH3 has maximum dipole moment among the given options.

Asked in: AP EAMCET 2021 (20 Aug Shift 1)

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