Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A bent molecule has a total dipole moment of . Each bond dipole is . Find the bond angle. Then say whether the same bonds could give a dipole of at any angle.
The dipole moment of a molecule is the vector sum of its bond dipoles. Two equal bond dipoles at an angle give . Symmetric shapes, like linear , planar and tetrahedral , give .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Half the angle. , so .
Step 2. The angle. .
Step 3. The limit. The largest possible total is , when the two bonds point the same way. So is impossible from these bonds alone.
Answer: ; no, is more than .
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