Question

The electronegativities of carbon and sulfur are almost the same. Both elements form covalently bonded compounds with hydrogen. Why is hydrogen sulfide a polar compound while methane is a nonpolar compound?
a.Sulfur has a stronger attraction for electrons than does carbon
b.A hydrogen sulfide molecule has lone pairs of electrons
c.Sulfur forms ionic bonds with hydrogen while carbon forms covalent bonds
d.Sulfur ions are larger than carbon ions

Answer 1

Answer:

b. A hydrogen sulfide molecule has lone pairs of electrons

Explanation:

The presence of lone pairs indictates that the molecule will be polar unless its molecular geometry is linear or square planar. In the case of H2S, its shape is bent due to the lone pair and it is a slightly polar molecule.