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University of South Carolina-Columbia
CHEM 333 Chapter 2: Polar Covalent Bonds
and Acids/Bases Questions and Answers
2026 Latest Update
polar covalent bonds Ans: - a covalent bond in which the electron
distribution between atoms is uneven
- the in-between step from covalent to ionic
electronegativity Ans: - the ability of an atom to attract electron in a
covalent bond
- increases across the periodic table from right to left, and bottom to top
- causes polarity of molecule
carbon's electronegativity Ans: 2.5
nonpolar-covalent bond electronegativity Ans: less than 0.5
polar-covalent bond electronegativity Ans: between 0.5 and 2.0
ionic bond electronegativity Ans: greater than 2
inductive effect Ans: - the electron-attracting (or electron withdrawing)
effect transmitted through sigma bonds
- electronegative elements have electron-withdrawing inductive effect
dipole moments Ans: - used to measure net molecular polarity
- occurs when the centers of mass of positive and negative charges within a
molecule don't cancel out.
dipole moment equation Ans: DM (dipole moment) = Q x r (Q = charge at
either end of molecule dipole, r = distance between charges)
© 2026 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
1 Debyes = ? Ans: 3.336 x 10^-30 C*m
formal charge Ans: -the difference in the number of electrons owned by an
atom in a molecule and by the same atom in its elemental (atomic) state
- closely related to electronegativity and dipole moment
- way to track "ownership" of electrons
formal charge equation Ans: FC = (# of valence electrons in free atom) - (#
electrons in bonded atom)
OR
FC = (# of valence electrons in free atom) - (# of bonding electrons/2) -
(number of nonbonding electrons)
resonance forms Ans: - an individual structural form of a resonance hybrid
- only difference between forms is in placement of bonds and nonbonding
electrons
resonance hybrid Ans: - a molecule that can't be represented adequately by
a single kekule structure but must be considered as an average of two or
more resonance forms
rules for resonance forms Ans: - individual resonance forms aren't real
- forms only differ in placement of pi-bonds and nonbonding electrons
- different forms of substance aren't always equivalent
- forms must obey octet rule
- hybrid more stable that any individual form
radicals Ans: - have 1 electron (not lone pair)
- depict movement with half-curved arrow
the two acid/base definitions Ans: - Bronsted and Lowry
- Lewis Acids and Bases
© 2026 All rights reserved
University of South Carolina-Columbia
CHEM 333 Chapter 2: Polar Covalent Bonds
and Acids/Bases Questions and Answers
2026 Latest Update
polar covalent bonds Ans: - a covalent bond in which the electron
distribution between atoms is uneven
- the in-between step from covalent to ionic
electronegativity Ans: - the ability of an atom to attract electron in a
covalent bond
- increases across the periodic table from right to left, and bottom to top
- causes polarity of molecule
carbon's electronegativity Ans: 2.5
nonpolar-covalent bond electronegativity Ans: less than 0.5
polar-covalent bond electronegativity Ans: between 0.5 and 2.0
ionic bond electronegativity Ans: greater than 2
inductive effect Ans: - the electron-attracting (or electron withdrawing)
effect transmitted through sigma bonds
- electronegative elements have electron-withdrawing inductive effect
dipole moments Ans: - used to measure net molecular polarity
- occurs when the centers of mass of positive and negative charges within a
molecule don't cancel out.
dipole moment equation Ans: DM (dipole moment) = Q x r (Q = charge at
either end of molecule dipole, r = distance between charges)
© 2026 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
1 Debyes = ? Ans: 3.336 x 10^-30 C*m
formal charge Ans: -the difference in the number of electrons owned by an
atom in a molecule and by the same atom in its elemental (atomic) state
- closely related to electronegativity and dipole moment
- way to track "ownership" of electrons
formal charge equation Ans: FC = (# of valence electrons in free atom) - (#
electrons in bonded atom)
OR
FC = (# of valence electrons in free atom) - (# of bonding electrons/2) -
(number of nonbonding electrons)
resonance forms Ans: - an individual structural form of a resonance hybrid
- only difference between forms is in placement of bonds and nonbonding
electrons
resonance hybrid Ans: - a molecule that can't be represented adequately by
a single kekule structure but must be considered as an average of two or
more resonance forms
rules for resonance forms Ans: - individual resonance forms aren't real
- forms only differ in placement of pi-bonds and nonbonding electrons
- different forms of substance aren't always equivalent
- forms must obey octet rule
- hybrid more stable that any individual form
radicals Ans: - have 1 electron (not lone pair)
- depict movement with half-curved arrow
the two acid/base definitions Ans: - Bronsted and Lowry
- Lewis Acids and Bases
© 2026 All rights reserved
