Polarity of bonds vs molecules

[Annabella_Amato_1I]

I was looking at this solution for one of the sapling questions, and I was a little confused as to how a molecule's bond could be polar but the molecule as a whole is non-polar? Is this something that we will learn more about when we discuss molecular shape/geometry?

[Janelle Gokim 3B]

This has to do with the dipole moments being cancelled out. There are three polar bonds within this molecule but since they are all the same B-F there isn't one single dipole moment stronger than the other. It can help to draw the arrows representing the dipole moments and you will see that they actually cancel each other out, making the entire molecule itself non polar.

[Astha Patel 2J]

The ability for a molecule to be non-polar yet consist of polar bonds is due to the ability for dipoles to cancel out. This can be seen after looking at the shape of the molecule (for example, a symmetrical molecule will most likely have dipoles that cancel each other out).

[Danielle Goldwirth 3F]

I watched a video explaining this concept and they discussed it in terms of vectors and their directions (I'm referring to the same vectors that Dr. Lavelle drew in class when showing for example, how H is pulled towards F since F is more electronegative).
If they are equal in magnitude and point in different directions, they will cancel each other out and the entire molecule will be non-polar.
However, if they point in the same direction they will support each other in causing the entire molecule to be polar.

[Javier Perez M 1H]

Definitely, if the vectors don't cancel out the atom will be polar. However, are ions always polar since they have a charge?

[Alex Benson]

Hi! I believe this occurs because of the atom structure. If the atom has charges of an equal magnitude in a symmetrical structure that makes them essentially cancel each other out. However I am still confused on it

[Brandon McClelland3L]

The best way I can explain it is that if you have two polar bonds of equal strength going in opposite directions, they kinda cancel out so the molecule as a whole is non-polar.