The Structure and Properties of Matter

Lesson 3.1 The Polarity of a Molecule Based on Its Structure

Objective
 At the end of the lesson, you should be able to determine if
a molecule is polar or nonpolar given its structure.
 In your previous Chemistry lessons, you have learned that
a molecule has a certain shape or geometry.

Did you know that such molecule may exhibit polarity

based on its 3-dimensional shape?
Learn about it!
 There are millions of different molecules, and there are
many ways to sort them. One way to classify them is based
on polarity. Polarity means having dipoles, a positive and
a negative end. Based on polarity, molecules can be polar
or nonpolar.
 Polar molecules have dipoles. Their dipole moments do
not add up to zero (or do not cancel out). Water and carbon
monoxide are examples of polar molecules.
 Nonpolar molecules do not have positive or negative
ends. Their dipole moments add up to zero (they cancel
out). Carbon tetrachloride and methane are examples of
nonpolar molecules.
 Generally, you can tell if a molecule is polar or nonpolar
based on:
1.its structure or shape
2.the polarity of the individual bonds present in the
molecule
Learn about it!
Steps in Determining the Polarity of a Molecule
1. Draw the correct Lewis structure and molecular geometry of
the molecule.
2. Identify the polarity of each bond present in the molecule. A
bond is polar when the atoms in the bond have different
electronegativities. Recall that electronegativity is the
measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair
of electrons. (You may use the periodic table to determine
the electronegativity values of the atoms.)
3. Draw the dipole moment vectors for polar bonds. The dipole
moment vector points to the more electronegative atom.
4. Determine the sum of the dipole moment vectors. If the
dipole moments cancel out each other, the molecule is
nonpolar; otherwise, it is polar.
Examples
Example 1
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas that you exhale.
1. Correct Lewis structure and geometry:
2. Oxygen is more electronegative than carbon. Therefore,
the C—O bonds are polar.

3. Since CO2 has a linear symmetrical structure, the dipole

moments of the C—O bonds cancel out.
CO2 is a nonpolar molecule.
Example 2
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a colorless toxic gas formed by
burning sulfur in air.
1. Correct Lewis structure and geometry:
2. Oxygen is more electronegative than sulfur. Therefore, the
S—O bonds are polar.
3. Since the molecule is bent-shaped, the dipole moments do
not cancel out.

SO2 is a polar molecule.

Tip
 Note that the shape or structure does not directly
determine whether the molecule is polar or nonpolar.
However, you need to know the shape of the molecule to
know if the dipole moments cancel out.
Explore!
 Consider the examples below to help you understand the
concept of polarity.
 Below are the images of a magnet bar, a block of wood,
and a battery.
Which of the three show(s) polarity?

Try it!
 Ammonia (NH3) is a colorless gas. A solution of ammonia
in water is used as a cleaning agent. Determine if ammonia
is polar or nonpolar.
What do you think?
Are all linear molecules polar? Why or why not?
Key Points
Polarity means having dipoles, a positive and a negative
end. Based on polarity, molecules can be polar or nonpolar.
Polar molecules have dipoles. Their dipole moments do not
add up to zero (or do not cancel out).
Nonpolar molecules do not have positive or negative ends.
Their dipole moments add up to zero (they cancel out).
In general, you can tell if a molecule is polar or nonpolar
based on the shape of the molecule and the polarity of the
individual bonds present in the molecule.
Test Questions
1. What factors describe the polarity of a molecule?
A. bond length and molecular size
B. bond polarity and molecular size
C. bond length and molecular shape
D. bond polarity and molecular shape
2. Which of the following statements describes a nonpolar
molecule?
A. It has positive and negative ends.
B. It has partial separation of charges.
C. It has zero net dipole moment.
D. It has dipoles.
3. Which of the following statements does not describe a
polar molecule?
A. It has a positive and a negative end.
B. Its bond polarities do not cancel out.
C. The atoms in the molecule have same
electronegativities.
D. The net dipole moments of the bonds do not add up to
zero.
4. Which of the following is a polar molecule?
A. CH4 (tetrahedral)
B. CO2 (linear)
C. H2O (bent-shaped)
D. BeCl2 (linear)
5. Which of the following is a nonpolar molecule?
A. NH3 (trigonal planar)
B. SO2 (bent-shaped)
C. H2O (bent-shaped)
D. CCl4 (tetrahedral)
 NH3 is trigonal pyramidal while BH3 is trigonal planar.

6. Which of the following is true about the polarity of the two

compounds?
A.NH3 and BH3 are both polar molecules.
B.NH3 is polar and BH3 is nonpolar.
C.NH3 is nonpolar and BH3 is polar.
D.NH3 and BH3 are both nonpolar.
7. Which of the following steps will not help you identify if
a molecule is polar or nonpolar?
A. Draw the structure or shape of the molecule.
B. Identify the polarity of the individual bonds present in
the molecule.
C. Determine the net dipole moment.
D. Change some of the atoms in the molecule.
8. Oxygen gas (O2), a very important gas for humans, is a
nonpolar molecule. Which of the following statements
support this?
A. It does not have a symmetrical shape.
B. The dipole moments do not cancel out.
C. It has positive and negative ends.
D. It contains only a nonpolar bond.
9. Why is hydrogen chloride considered a polar molecule?
I. Because the bond between hydrogen and chlorine is
polar.
II. Because the net dipole moment of the molecule is zero.
III. Because it has positive and negative ends.
IV. Because it is linear and the dipole moments cancel out.
A. I and II
B. II and III
C. I and III
D. III and IV
Refer to the structure of carbon dioxide below.

Even when it contains polar bonds, the molecule is nonpolar.

10. Which of the following statements is the reason why a
molecule with polar bonds can be a nonpolar molecule?
A. All the bonds are equivalent and symmetrically arranged.
B. All the bonds are equivalent and not symmetrically
arranged.
C. All the dipole moments of the bonds do not add up to zero.
D. All the dipole moments of the bonds do not cancel, and add
up to a nonzero value.