Which of the following molecules would one expect to have a non-polar covalent bond?

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following molecules would one expect to have a non-polar covalent bond?

Non-polar covalent bonds form when the electrons are shared equally between two atoms, which happens when the atoms have the same or very similar electronegativity. In a diatomic fluorine molecule, the two atoms are identical, so neither pulls the shared electrons more than the other. The result is an equal sharing of electrons and a non-polar covalent bond. The other options involve unequal sharing. Water has O–H bonds where oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, creating polar covalent bonds and a net molecular dipole. Ammonia likewise features polar N–H bonds. Carbon dioxide has polar C=O bonds due to electronegativity differences, and while the molecule is linear and overall nonpolar, the bonds themselves are polar covalent.

Non-polar covalent bonds form when the electrons are shared equally between two atoms, which happens when the atoms have the same or very similar electronegativity. In a diatomic fluorine molecule, the two atoms are identical, so neither pulls the shared electrons more than the other. The result is an equal sharing of electrons and a non-polar covalent bond.

The other options involve unequal sharing. Water has O–H bonds where oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, creating polar covalent bonds and a net molecular dipole. Ammonia likewise features polar N–H bonds. Carbon dioxide has polar C=O bonds due to electronegativity differences, and while the molecule is linear and overall nonpolar, the bonds themselves are polar covalent.

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