Answer

Experiment: Demonstrating Polar Properties

Effect of charged acetate strip on slow stream of moving water

Hypothesis: A charged vinyl strip attracts a slow stream of moving water.

Analysis of Prediction

When a vinyl strip is rubbed with a piece of cloth, it is charged positively through electron transfer from the strip to the cloth. When the charged strip is brought near a slow steady stream of moving water, a polar solvent, the charges separate according to the law of static charges which states: “Like Charges Repel, unlike Charges Attract”. Thus, the negative part of water will be attracted to the positively charged vinyl strip, leading to attraction between them.

Veracity of Prediction

My prediction was correct

Shape of Water Molecule

Water molecules are bent into a V shape. Charge distribution in water is asymmetrical, hence the molecule is asymmetrical.

Is H2O molecule Polar or Nonpolar?

Asymmetrical charge distribution makes water a polar solvent. Essentially, this makes water molecule a dipole, with a negative side where the oxygen atom is positioned and a positive side where the hydrogen atoms are positioned.

Analysis of the bonds of CCl₄, Shape of the molecule, Symmetry, and Polarity

 The carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) molecule consists of four chlorine atoms positioned symmetrically in a tetrahedral configuration joined to a central carbon atom by single covalent bonds. Thus, CCl₄ has a symmetrical charge distribution and geometry and is thus a nonpolar solvent.

Assume that the water stream is replaced by a stream of CCl₄. Predict what would happen in each case.
(a) Charged acetate strip:

Since CCl₄ is nonpolar and therefore electrically neutral, it will have no effect on the charged acetate strip.
(b) Charged vinyl strip:

Similarly, electrically neutral nonpolar CCl₄ will not be attracted to the charged vinyl strip.
(c) Explain your predictions.

In both cases the CCl₄ is electrically neutral, and hence will not be attracted to a charged material.

Chemists have found that charged acetate and vinyl strips have no effect on a stream of CCl4. This discovery matches my prediction.

Figure1: https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/1014849/view/carbon-tetrachloride-or-tetrachloromethane-solvent-molecule

From the diagram, water has a partial negative part and a partial positive part occupied by oxygen atom. Resultant separation of charges when brought near charged acetate and vinyl strips leads to attraction in both cases.

Figure 2: https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/1014849/view/carbon-tetrachloride-or-tetrachloromethane-solvent-molecule

The model of CCl₄ above reveals an electrically neutral molecule, hence; it has no effect on charged acetate and vinyl strips.