Chemistry Questions

Radon gas is a source of natural groundwater pollution.

Liquid sodium is being considered as engine coolant.

Atoms are composed of three main particles called electrons, protons and neutrons. We know that, the electrons are negatively charged particles whereas protons are positively charged and neutrons have no charge.

Hence, as the number of electrons and protons are equal and they are oppositely charged, the atom will have no charge as their charges cancel each other.

Mercury is the only metal that is in liqid form at room temperature. Caesium, Gallim and Rubidium are also metals that are in liquid form but at slightly high temperature than the room temperature.

Polarity :: 

The polarity of a molecule defines its other physical properties such as melting point, boiling point, surface tension, vapor pressure etc... Simply, polarity occurs when the electron distribution in a molecule is asymmetric. This results in a net dipole moment in the molecule. One end of the molecule is charged negative while the other gets a positive charge.

The polarization of a molecule greatly depends on the shape of the molecule. A diatomic molecule like HF mentioned above has no issue of shape. The net dipole moment is only due to the uneven distribution of electrons between the two atoms. However, when there are more than two atoms involved in making a bond, there are many complexities.

The water molecule is of bent shape. Therefore, when the two pair of electrons shared by oxygen with two hydrogen atoms is pulled towards oxygen, the net dipole moment results in the direction of the oxygen atom. There is no other force to cancel out the resultant dipole moment. Hence, the water molecule is highly polar.

Ammonia molecule is of a pyramid shape and the electronegative N atom pulls the electrons towards itself. The three N-H bonds are not in the same plane; hence the dipole moments created do not get canceled out. This makes ammonia a polar molecule.

However, the dipole moments sometimes get canceled due to the shape of the molecules, making the molecule non-polar. Carbon dioxide is such a molecule.

Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula NaOH. It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations Na+ and hydroxide anions OH−.

Properties:

1. It is highly soluble in water, and readily absorbs moisture and carbon dioxide from the air.

2. NaOH is insoluble in ether and other non-polar solvents.

3. It is an odorless compound.

Uses:

Sodium hydroxide is used in many industries: in the manufacture of pulp and paper, textiles, drinking water, soaps and detergents, and as a drain cleaner.