Which of the following best describes the difference between the formation of an ion and the formation of a momentary dipole?

• A. An ion forms when an atom gains or loses electrons, resulting in a permanent charge, while a momentary dipole forms due to temporary fluctuations in electron distribution within a molecule.
• B. Both ions and momentary dipoles are formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms.
• C. Momentary dipoles are formed by the transfer of protons, while ions are formed by the transfer of neutrons.
• D. An ion is always neutral, whereas a momentary dipole always carries a net charge.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the formation of an ion involves an atom either gaining or losing electrons, which results in a permanent electrical charge (positive if electrons are lost, negative if electrons are gained).
2. Recognize that a momentary dipole arises from temporary fluctuations in the electron cloud around atoms or molecules, causing a brief separation of charge without a net gain or loss of electrons.
3. Note that ions have a permanent charge because the number of electrons and protons are no longer equal, whereas momentary dipoles do not have a net charge since the electron distribution only shifts temporarily.
4. Eliminate incorrect options by recalling that ions are not formed by sharing electrons (that describes covalent bonding), momentary dipoles are not caused by proton or neutron transfer, and ions are not neutral by definition.
5. Conclude that the key difference is that ions have a permanent charge due to electron transfer, while momentary dipoles are temporary and caused by fluctuations in electron distribution.