# Are the bonds in each of the following substances ionic, nonpolar covalent, or p

Are the bonds in each of the following substances ionic, nonpolar covalent, or polar covalent? Arrange the substances with polar covalent bonds in order of increasing bond polarity:
(a) KCl,
(b) $$\displaystyle{P}_{{{4}}}$$,
(c) $$\displaystyle{B}{F}_{{{3}}}$$,
(d) $$\displaystyle{S}{O}_{{{2}}}$$,
(e) $$\displaystyle{B}{r}_{{{2}}}$$,
(f) $$\displaystyle{N}{O}_{{{2}}}$$

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Abel Maynard

Step 1
a) K Cl: Ionic
b) $$\displaystyle{P}_{{{4}}}$$ : Nonpolar covalent
c) $$\displaystyle{B}{F}_{{{3}}}$$ : Polar covalent
d) $$\displaystyle{S}{O}_{{{2}}}$$ : Polar covalent
e) $$\displaystyle{B}{r}_{{{2}}}$$ : Nonpolar covalent
f) $$\displaystyle{N}{O}_{{{2}}}$$ : Polar covalent
$$\displaystyle{N}{O}_{{{2}}}{<}{S}{O}_{{{2}}}{<}{B}{F}_{{{3}}}$$

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Alicia Washington

Step 1
(a) Ionic
(b) Nonpolar covalent
(c) Polar covalent
(d) Polar covalent
(e) Nonpolar covalent
(f) Polar covalent
Step 2
Are the bonds in each of the following substances ionic, nonpolar covalent, or polar covalent?
The nature of a bond depends on the modulus of the difference of electronegativity $$\displaystyle{\left({\left|\Delta{E}{N}\right|}\right)}$$ between the atoms that form it.
1) If $$\displaystyle{\left|\Delta{E}{N}\right|}={0}$$, the bond nonpolar covalent
2) If $$\displaystyle{0}{<}{\left|\Delta{E}{N}\right|}\le{2}$$, the bond is polar covalent.
3) If $$\displaystyle{\left|\Delta{E}{N}\right|}{>}{2}$$, the bond is ionic.
Step 3
a) K Cl $$\displaystyle={\left|\Delta{E}{N}\right|}={\left|{E}{N}{\left({K}\right)}-{E}{N}{\left({C}{l}\right)}\right|}={\left|{0.8}-{3.0}\right|}={2.2}$$ The bond is ionic.
b) $$\displaystyle{P}_{{{4}}}={\left|\Delta{E}{N}\right|}={\left|{E}{N}{\left({P}\right)}-{E}{N}{\left({P}\right)}\right|}={\left|{2.1}-{2.1}\right|}={0.0}$$ The bond is nonpolar covalent.
c) $$\displaystyle{B}{F}_{{{3}}}={\left|\Delta{E}{N}\right|}={\left|{E}{N}{\left({B}\right)}-{E}{N}{\left({F}\right)}\right|}={\left|{2.0}-{4.0}\right|}={2.0}$$ The bond is polar covalent.
d) $$\displaystyle{S}{O}_{{{2}}}={\left|\Delta{E}{N}\right|}={\left|{E}{N}{\left({S}\right)}-{E}{N}{\left({O}\right)}\right|}={\left|{2.5}-{3.5}\right|}={1.0}$$ The bond is polar covalent.
e) $$\displaystyle{B}{r}_{{{2}}}={\left|\Delta{E}{N}\right|}={\left|{E}{N}{\left({B}{r}\right)}-{E}{N}{\left({B}{r}\right)}\right|}={\left|{2.8}-{2.8}\right|}={0.0}$$ The bond is nonpolar covalent.
f) $$\displaystyle{N}{O}_{{{2}}}={\left|\Delta{E}{N}\right|}={\left|{E}{N}{\left({N}\right)}-{E}{N}{\left({O}\right)}\right|}={\left|{3.0}-{3.5}\right|}={0.5}$$ The bond is polar covalent.