Question

devise a plan of how you will identify which compounds are non- polar covalent using only one test.

What test will you carry out to determine whether a sample is a mom- polar covalent compound?

What result will you get in this test id the sample is a non-polar covalent compound?

Answer 1

In a non-polar covalent compound ,electrons are equally shared between all bonded atom pairs ,so no charge separation is there .The compound does not show electrostatic attraction/repulsion like polar molecular compounds (with polar groups like -OH ) or ionic compounds (with positive and negative ions) for polar solvents (like water)

In polar groups like -OH or C=O ,one atom has more affinity for shared electrons due to their high electronegativity (like O-atom in OH and CO),so bonded electrons are shifted towards them(giving rise to charge separation).

Such compounds are completely insoluble in water (polar solvent ) but in non-polar solvents (organic solvents like hexane, ether).

Thus, Solubility test can be used to identify a non-polar covalent compound.They are insoluble in water ,partly soluble in non-polar protic solvents(like alcohols) and highly soluble in non-polar aprotic solvents (hexane)