Molecular Polarity

Molecular Polarity
• Depends on 2 factors.
–Type of bonds in the molecule
–Arrangement of bonds or shape of
molecule
 Diatomic Molecules
• Simplest case:

• Bond Polarity and Molecular Polarity are

identical

• Larger Molecules – Have to look at how

the bonds are arranged.
For larger molecules, look at the kind
& arrangement of bonds to determine
overall polarity of molecule.

CH4 has 4 bonds.

 Polarity of Molecules
• A molecule may contain polar bonds, but
not be polar! Depends on the geometry of
the molecule.
• If molecule is symmetric, the “pull” of one
polar bond is offset by the “pull” of another
polar bond.
– It’s a tug-of-war that no one can win!
 Symmetric Molecules
• Contain at least one
mirror plane.
 Symmetric vs. Asymmetric

• CO2 is nonpolar. • H2O is bent.

• Can’t tell the • Electron cloud is
ends apart. lopsided.
• H2O is polar.
 Polarity of CO2?

Draw an arrow along each bond pointing

to the more electronegative atom.
If the arrows cancel out, the molecule is
NONPOLAR.
Polarity of H2O?

The green
arrows do not
cancel out, so
water is polar!
Symmetry of Larger Molecules

CF4 is fairly
symmetric.
Overall, it is
nonpolar.

The arrows
cancel out.
Use the structural formula to
predict Molecular Polarity!

H

HCH


H
 Ethane = C2H6

Ethene = C2H4

Ethyne = C2H2

These molecules are symmetric and

the electron cloud is the same on both
ends. Overall, they are nonpolar.
 Molecular Polarity
• If you know the shape, you can
use the arrow technique to
determine the polarity.

• So how do you get the shape?

 Polarity
– Linear molecules
• Nonpolar if the ends are the same
• Polar if the ends are different
– Tetrahedral
• Nonpolar if all 4 corners are the same
• Polar if even 1 corner is different
– Trigonal Pyramids
• Always polar
– Bent molecules
• Always polar