You will want to look at electronegativity differences between elements in a molecule. Ionic bonds will only occur when the difference of electronegativity for the bonding elemets is high, such as Sodium (very low electronegativity) and Chlorine (very high electronegativity). Depending on which chemistry you are taking, you could even go as simple is ionic bonding occurs only when bonding elements on different sides of the periodic table. Phosphorous and Antimony are fairly close to Chlorine, and thus will form a covalent bond. To find out whether it is polar or non-polar, you must look closer into the difference of electronegativity in the entire molecule, but for this example, just take a quick glance at a Lewis Dot Diagram. If the molecule is symmetric (like most organic chemicals), the molecule is non- polar (like most organic chemicals). If the molecule is not symmetric, it will be polar, like water. Solution You will want to look at electronegativity differences between elements in a molecule. Ionic bonds will only occur when the difference of electronegativity for the bonding elemets is high, such as Sodium (very low electronegativity) and Chlorine (very high electronegativity). Depending on which chemistry you are taking, you could even go as simple is ionic bonding occurs only when bonding elements on different sides of the periodic table. Phosphorous and Antimony are fairly close to Chlorine, and thus will form a covalent bond. To find out whether it is polar or non-polar, you must look closer into the difference of electronegativity in the entire molecule, but for this example, just take a quick glance at a Lewis Dot Diagram. If the molecule is symmetric (like most organic chemicals), the molecule is non- polar (like most organic chemicals). If the molecule is not symmetric, it will be polar, like water..

1. You will want to look at electronegativity differences between elements in a
molecule. Ionic bonds will only occur when the difference of electronegativity for the bonding
elemets is high, such as Sodium (very low electronegativity) and Chlorine (very high
electronegativity). Depending on which chemistry you are taking, you could even go as simple is
ionic bonding occurs only when bonding elements on different sides of the periodic table.
Phosphorous and Antimony are fairly close to Chlorine, and thus will form a covalent bond. To
find out whether it is polar or non-polar, you must look closer into the difference of
electronegativity in the entire molecule, but for this example, just take a quick glance at a Lewis
Dot Diagram. If the molecule is symmetric (like most organic chemicals), the molecule is non-
polar (like most organic chemicals). If the molecule is not symmetric, it will be polar, like water.
Solution
You will want to look at electronegativity differences between elements in a
molecule. Ionic bonds will only occur when the difference of electronegativity for the bonding
elemets is high, such as Sodium (very low electronegativity) and Chlorine (very high
electronegativity). Depending on which chemistry you are taking, you could even go as simple is
ionic bonding occurs only when bonding elements on different sides of the periodic table.
Phosphorous and Antimony are fairly close to Chlorine, and thus will form a covalent bond. To
find out whether it is polar or non-polar, you must look closer into the difference of
electronegativity in the entire molecule, but for this example, just take a quick glance at a Lewis
Dot Diagram. If the molecule is symmetric (like most organic chemicals), the molecule is non-
polar (like most organic chemicals). If the molecule is not symmetric, it will be polar, like water.