Question

Classify these bonds as ionic, polar covalent, or nonpolar covalent. You are currently in a sorting module.

Answer 1

Answer:

C-O: polar covalent

Mg-F: ionic

Cl-Cl: nonpolar covalent

Explanation:

Ionic bonds are formed between an atom of a metallic element and another atom of a non-metallic element. Thus, Mg-F is an ionic bond, in which Mg is the metal and F is the nonmetal.

Covalent bonds are formed between two non-metallic elements. So, C-O and Cl-Cl are covalent bonds, because C, O, and Cl are nonmetals.

In C-O, the atom of oxygen (O) has more electronegativity than the atom of carbon (C). Thus, O will attract the electrons with more strength and a difference in charge will be established between the two bonded atoms. So, this covalent bond is polar.

In Cl-Cl, both atoms have the same electronegativity because they are from the same chemical element (Cl). Thus, this bond is nonpolar.