Polyatomic Molecules
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 3:28 pm
by Jacqueline Duong 1H
How can a polyatomic molecule be nonpolar if its bonds are polar?
Re: Polyatomic Molecules
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 3:37 pm
by Sierra Cheslick 2B
If the molecule is symmetrical around the central atom (for example CCl4) then the polar qualities of the bonds cancel each other out, as all the partial charges are "pulling" in different directions. However, this is only true if the atoms surrounding the central atom are all the same and therefore have the same partial charges. For example, CCl2H2 would not be nonpolar despite being symmetrical because hydrogen and chlorine do not have the same partial charges and therefore do not cancel each other out.