Answer to Question #113851 in Physical Chemistry for DEEPAK SINGH

Question

disscus the use of dipole moment measurments in the study of structure of compounds.

Answer 1

Dipole moments occur due to the difference in electronegativity between two chemically bonded atoms.

• The dipole moment helps to predict whether a molecule is polar or non-polar. Molecules with a net dipole moment are polar molecules. If the net dipole moment is zero or very, very small, the bond and molecule are considered to be nonpolar.
• Also the percentage of ionic character of a substance can be calculated.
• Symmetrical molecules have zero dipole moment although they have two or more polar bonds.
• It helps to distinguish between cis- and trans-isomers. Usually trans-isomer has higher dipole moment than trans- isomer.
• It helps to distinguish between ortho, meta and para-isomers. Dipole moment of para- isomer is zero. Dipole moment of ortho- isomer is greater than that of meta-isomer.