how do you determine if a sustance is polar or non-polar?

Question

and which one of these would citric acid be?

Answer 1

A polar molecule usually contains polar bonds - bonds which have unequal sharing of electrons between the two atoms involved in bonding. Examples are salts, acids and bases. A non-polar compound usually contains non-polar bonds - bonds which have identical or similar sharing of electrons. Examples are oils and hydrocarbons.

Citric acid is polar.

Answer 2

To check if a substance is polar or nonpolar, you have to find the difference between electronegativity between the elements in the compound. The range goes from Covalent - polar covalent - ionic. The accepted exact points where one turns into another varies depending on who you ask.

Citric acid should be polar (I haven't checked mathematically though) just because its added to things like fruit juices, which are based on water (which is polar). Because polar substances are miscible with other polar substances, citric acid should be polar.

Answer 3

Polar- The description of covalent bonds in which electrons are shared unequally, or of a molecule containing polar bonds that do not cancel out.

Non-Polar- The description of a covalent bond in which electrons are shared equally, or of a molecule containing non-polar bonds or polar bonds that cancel out.

Citric Acid is polar.