this sketch of a neutral molecule is shaded red or blue wherever the electrostatic potential at the molecule’s surface isn’t zero. what could the chemical formula of the molecule be?
electrostatic potential map possible chemical formula (check all that apply)
☐ hi
☐ hbr
☐ icl
☐ h₂
☐ co

Question

this sketch of a neutral molecule is shaded red or blue wherever the electrostatic potential at the molecule’s surface isn’t zero. what could the chemical formula of the molecule be?
electrostatic potential map	possible chemical formula (check all that apply)
	☐ hi
	☐ hbr
	☐ icl
	☐ h₂
	☐ co

Accepted Answer

# Brief Explanations:
1. Analyze the electrostatic potential map: The map has a red (negative) region and a blue (positive) region, indicating a polar molecule with a dipole moment (unequal sharing of electrons, electronegativity difference).
2. Evaluate each option:
   - $ \text{H}_2 $: Diatomic hydrogen, non - polar (same atoms, equal electronegativity), so electrostatic potential should be zero (no red/blue shading). Eliminate.
   - $ \text{HI} $: H and I. Electronegativity of I is slightly higher than H? Wait, no: Electronegativity of H is ~2.1, I is ~2.5. Wait, actually, I is more electronegative? Wait, no, correction: Electronegativity of H is 2.1, I is 2.5? Wait, no, the Pauling scale: H is 2.1, I is 2.5? Wait, no, actually, I is less electronegative than Br, Cl. Wait, maybe I made a mistake. Wait, for $ \text{HI} $: The bond is polar, but the electronegativity difference is small. Wait, but let's check the other options.
   - $ \text{HBr} $: H (2.1) and Br (2.8). Electronegativity difference: 0.7. Polar bond, polar molecule (linear, so dipole moment). But the electrostatic potential map: the positive (blue) should be on H, negative (red) on Br. But in the map, the blue is a small region, red is larger? Wait, maybe not. Wait, $ \text{ICl} $: I (2.5) and Cl (3.0). Electronegativity difference: 0.5. Cl is more electronegative than I. So the molecule is polar, with Cl being negative (red?) Wait, no, the color code: blue is +, red is -. So the positive region (blue) is where the less electronegative atom is, negative (red) where more electronegative. So for $ \text{ICl} $: I is less electronegative (2.5) than Cl (3.0), so I should be + (blue), Cl - (red). The map shows a small blue ( + ) region and a larger red ( - ) region, which fits $ \text{ICl} $. Wait, also $ \text{CO} $: C (2.5) and O (3.5). Electronegativity difference: 1.0. Polar molecule, O is more electronegative (red), C is less (blue). But $ \text{CO} $ has a triple bond, and the electrostatic potential map: is it similar? Wait, but let's re - evaluate.
   - $ \text{H}_2 $: Non - polar, so no. $ \text{HI} $: H (2.1) and I (2.5). I is more electronegative, so H is + (blue), I is - (red). But the size of the atoms: I is much larger than H. The map has a small blue ( + ) and a larger red ( - ), which could fit $ \text{HI} $? Wait, no, maybe I was wrong earlier. Wait, let's check the electronegativity differences and molecular polarity:
     - $ \text{H}_2 $: Non - polar (same atoms, equal sharing) → eliminate.
     - $ \text{HI} $: Polar (H - I bond, electronegativity difference ~0.4). The H is +, I is -. The I atom is large, so the red ( - ) region should be large, blue ( + ) small. Matches the map.
     - $ \text{HBr} $: H - Br, electronegativity difference ~0.7. Br is more electronegative, H is +, Br is -. Br is smaller than I? Wait, I is larger than Br. So the red region for $ \text{HI} $ (I) would be larger than for $ \text{HBr} $ (Br). The map has a large red and small blue, so $ \text{HI} $ is possible.
     - $ \text{ICl} $: I - Cl, electronegativity difference ~0.5. Cl is more electronegative, I is +, Cl is -. Cl is smaller than I, so the red (Cl) region would be small, blue (I) large? But the map has small blue and large red. So $ \text{ICl} $ may not fit.
     - $ \text{CO} $: C - O, electronegativity difference ~1.0. O is more electronegative, C is +, O is -. But the atoms are similar in size? C and O are close in size. The map has a large red and small blue, which may not fit $ \text{CO} $ as well as $ \text{HI} $ or $ \text{HBr} $? Wait, maybe I made a mistake. Wait, the key is: the molecule is diatomic (from the map, two - atom - like? The map shows a large sphere and a small sphere, so two atoms, one large, one small). So diatomic molecules. $ \text{H}_2 $: same size, eliminate. $ \text{HI} $: H (small) and I (large). $ \text{HBr} $: H (small) and Br (large, but smaller than I). $ \text{ICl} $: I (large) and Cl (small). $ \text{CO} $: C and O, similar size. So the map has a small blue ( + ) (small atom) and large red ( - ) (large atom). So for $ \text{HI} $: H (small, + ) and I (large, - ) → fits. For $ \text{HBr} $: H (small, + ) and Br (large, - ) → fits. For $ \text{ICl} $: I (large, + ) and Cl (small, - ) → the blue ( + ) would be large, red ( - ) small, which does not fit the map. $ \text{CO} $: similar size, so the red and blue regions would be more similar in size, not like the map. So the correct options are $ \text{HI} $, $ \text{HBr} $? Wait, wait, let's check electronegativity again. For $ \text{HI} $: Electronegativity of H is 2.1, I is 2.5. So I is more electronegative, so the dipole is from H to I (H +, I - ). The size of I is much larger than H, so the negative region (red) is large, positive (blue) is small. For $ \text{HBr} $: H (2.1), Br (2.8). Br is more electronegative, dipole from H to Br (H +, Br - ). Br is larger than H but smaller than I. So the red region for $ \text{HI} $ is larger than for $ \text{HBr} $. The map shows a large red and small blue, so both $ \text{HI} $ and $ \text{HBr} $ could be possible? Wait, but maybe the answer is $ \text{ICl} $ is wrong, $ \text{H}_2 $ is wrong, $ \text{CO} $ is wrong. Wait, maybe I made a mistake in electronegativity of I. Wait, actually, the electronegativity of I is 2.5, Cl is 3.0, so Cl is more electronegative than I. So in $ \text{ICl} $, the partial charges are $ \delta^+ $ on I and $ \delta^- $ on Cl. So the blue ( + ) should be on the larger atom (I), and red ( - ) on the smaller atom (Cl). But the map has a small blue and large red, so $ \text{ICl} $ does not fit. For $ \text{HI} $, blue ( + ) on small H, red ( - ) on large I → fits. For $ \text{HBr} $, blue ( + ) on small H, red ( - ) on large Br → fits. For $ \text{CO} $, C and O are similar in size, so the red and blue regions would be more balanced, not like the map. So the correct options are $ \text{HI} $ and $ \text{HBr} $? Wait, but maybe the intended answer is $ \text{ICl} $ is wrong, $ \text{H}_2 $ is wrong, $ \text{CO} $ is wrong, and $ \text{HI} $, $ \text{HBr} $ are correct. Wait, but let's check the original problem again. The map: the blue ( + ) is a small region, red ( - ) is a large region. So the positive atom is small, negative is large. So in diatomic molecules, the small atom is more electropositive ( + ), large is electronegative ( - ). So H is small, I and Br are large. So $ \text{HI} $ (H +, I - ) and $ \text{HBr} $ (H +, Br - ) fit. $ \text{ICl} $: I is large ( + ), Cl is small ( - ) → blue ( + ) would be large, red ( - ) small → does not fit. $ \text{H}_2 $: same size, no charge → no. $ \text{CO} $: similar size, polar but size not matching. So the possible formulas are $ \text{HI} $ and $ \text{HBr} $. Wait, but maybe the answer is $ \text{ICl} $ is wrong, and $ \text{HI} $, $ \text{HBr} $ are correct. Alternatively, maybe I made a mistake with $ \text{ICl} $. Wait, let's check the electrostatic potential maps of these molecules. $ \text{HI} $: The H is positive (blue), I is negative (red), with I being a large atom, so red region is large. $ \text{HBr} $: H positive, Br negative, Br is large but smaller than I, so red region is large but maybe less than I. $ \text{ICl} $: I positive (blue, large region), Cl negative (red, small region) → does not match the map. So the correct options are $ \text{HI} $ and $ \text{HBr} $.
# Answer:
$\boldsymbol{\text{HI}}$, $\boldsymbol{\text{HBr}}$ (check the boxes for HI and HBr)

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