300
Which of the following has the greatest dipole moment?
a) HCN
b) SO2
c) H2O
d) PCl4
a) HCN
HCN has the largest difference in electronegativity, and the atoms in a linear configuration. There is a strong dipole moment in the direction of the nitrogen, without anything cancelling it out. Water has a dipole moment from each H, and the molecule is bent so the dipoles partially cancel each other out. SO2 also has a bet configuration, so its dipoles partially cancel each other out as well. PCl4 is tetrahedral and all the dipoles cancel out, leaving no net.