How do i determine if a molecule is polar or nonpolar?

Answer 1

If a molecule is nonpolar if the direction the atoms are pulling electrons cancel each other out. For example Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a carbon with four chlorine atoms pulling eletrons from the carbon atom all in different directions. If all these directions were added together they would cancel out.

A non polar molecule will be symmetrical around three perpendicular axises of symmetry.

If the molecule in not symmetrical then the molecule is polar. The degree of polarity is dependent on the degree of symmetry and the electronegativies of the atoms.

BE CAREFUL! Water may seem symmetrical but the molecule is actually bent (109.5 degrees between hydrogen atoms). Since, oxygen is very electronegative, water is very polar. The most polar substances are salts!

Answer 2

You can determine if a molecule is polar or not by finding the difference in electronegativity. If one atom is much more electronegative than the other, then the molecule will most likely be polar. If both atoms are relatively close in electronegativity, then it will not.

Try doing a Google search on polarity for more specifics. Good luck! :)

Answer 3

A polar molecule's Oxygen atoms will attract the Hydrogens' electrons, thus exposing their nucleus and making the Hydrogens negative. The result would be a very electronegative Oxygen and a very positive hydrogen. In a polar molecule one side is very negatively charged, and one is very positively charged.

Answer 4

You can make a guess by looking at the chemical structure. Hydrocarbons (carbon and hydrogen) are non-polar.

Anything with a net charge (like an amino acid) is polar.

Molecules with highly electronegative elements tend to be polar, like fluorine, oxygen, chlorine, etc.

Answer 5

almost all configurations that contain a lone pair is a polar molecule, other than the linear (2 bonding, 3 lone) and square planar.