Which of the following compounds is non-polar ?

Options

A. `C Cl_(4)`
B. `CH_(2)Cl_(2)`
C. `CHCl_(3)`
D. `CH_(3)Cl`

Answer

To determine which of the given compounds is non-polar, we will analyze each option based on the concept of dipole moment. A non-polar molecule has a net dipole moment of zero, meaning that the individual dipole moments cancel each other out.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Polar and Non-Polar Molecules**:
- A polar molecule has a dipole moment due to a difference in electronegativity between atoms, leading to charge separation.
- A non-polar molecule has no net dipole moment, meaning the dipole moments cancel each other out.

2. **Analyzing the Options**:
- **Option 1: CCl4 (Carbon Tetrachloride)**:
- Structure: Central carbon atom bonded to four chlorine atoms.
- Electronegativity: Chlorine is more electronegative than carbon.
- Dipole Moments: Each C-Cl bond has a dipole moment directed from carbon (positive) to chlorine (negative).
- Result: The four dipole moments are equal in magnitude and symmetrically arranged, thus they cancel each other out. Therefore, CCl4 is non-polar.

- **Option 2: CH2Cl2 (Dichloromethane)**:
- Structure: Central carbon atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms and two chlorine atoms.
- Dipole Moments: The C-H bonds have a dipole moment directed from carbon (negative) to hydrogen (positive), and the C-Cl bonds have a dipole moment directed from carbon (positive) to chlorine (negative).
- Result: The dipole moments do not cancel out due to the asymmetrical arrangement, making CH2Cl2 polar.

- **Option 3: CHCl3 (Chloroform)**:
- Structure: Central carbon atom bonded to one hydrogen and three chlorine atoms.
- Dipole Moments: Similar to CH2Cl2, the C-H bond has a dipole moment directed from carbon (negative) to hydrogen (positive), while the C-Cl bonds have dipole moments directed from carbon (positive) to chlorine (negative).
- Result: The dipole moments do not cancel out, making CHCl3 polar.

- **Option 4: CH3Cl (Methyl Chloride)**:
- Structure: Central carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms and one chlorine atom.
- Dipole Moments: The C-H bonds have dipole moments directed from carbon (negative) to hydrogen (positive), and the C-Cl bond has a dipole moment directed from carbon (positive) to chlorine (negative).
- Result: The dipole moments do not cancel out, making CH3Cl polar.

3. **Conclusion**:
- After analyzing all options, we find that the only non-polar compound is **CCl4** (Option 1).

### Final Answer:
The non-polar compound is **CCl4**.