Which of the following statements best distinguishes a polar covalent bond from a nonpolar covalent bond?

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Question restatement: The prompt asks how to distinguish a polar covalent bond from a nonpolar covalent bond.
Option 1: 'In a polar covalent bond, electrons are shared unequally due to differences in electronegativity, while in a nonpolar covalent bond, electrons are shared equally.' This captures the core distinction: polarity arises when atoms with different electronegativities share electrons unevenly, creating partial charges, whereas nonpolar bonds feature a balanced sharing of electrons.
Option 2: 'Polar covalent bonds involve the equal sharing of electrons, while nonpolar covalent bonds involve unequal sharing.' This is incorrect because equal sharing defines nonpolar bonds, not polar ones; it reverses the fundamental concept of electronegativity differences.
Option 3: 'Polar covalent bonds form only between identical atoms, while nonpolar covalent bonds form between different atoms.' This statement is false: identical atoms typically form nonpolar covalent bonds due to identical electronegativities, while polar covalent bonds often form between different atoms with differing electronegativities.
Option 4: 'Nonpolar covalent bonds are always weaker than polar covalent bonds.' This is misleading: bond strength depends on many factors (bond type, bond order, atoms involved) and polarity alone does not determine bond strength; some nonpolar bonds can be quite strong, and some polar bonds can be relatively weaker depending on the context.
In summary, the first option correctly aligns with the standard definition: polarity stems from unequal electron sharing caused by electronegativity differences, whereas nonpolar bonds involve equal sharing. The other options misstate how electron distribution relates to polarity and bond strength, leading to conceptual inaccuracies.

Which of the following statements best distinguishes a polar covalent bond from a nonpolar covalent bond?

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