Which of the following bonds can potentially contribute to the formation of a hydrogen bond in a solid or liquid?
A) Ge-H
B) P-H
C) N-H
D) Si-H
E) Cl-H

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Only the N-H bond can potentially contribute to the formation of a hydrogen bond because nitrogen has a high electronegativity and a lone pair of electrons, creating a partial negative charge that can interact with a partial positive charge on a hydrogen atom of a neighboring molecule. The other bonds listed (Ge-H, P-H, Si-H, Cl-H) do not have a sufficiently electronegative atom capable of creating a partial negative charge, or a lone pair of electrons available for hydrogen bonding.

Which of the Following Bonds Can Potentially Contribute to the Formation