CH2Cl2

[KatelinTanjuaquio 1L]

Why is CH2Cl2 polar? When I drew the Lewis structure, I put Cl opposite from each other and I thought that the dipole moments would cancel out, but it is normally drawn with the Cls next to each other. Is there something other than the drawing that makes it polar? How do I know to put them next to each other next time?

[Ronak Singh]

The shape of ch2cl2 is tetrahedral so the chlorine atoms are 109.5 degrees away from each other, not opposite from each other. This causes dipole moments towards the chlorine atoms which do not cancel.

[sonalivij]

Also, the C-Cl bond is polar and since they are unable to all cancel each other eat (because there are C-H bonds thrown in there), the whole molecule becomes polar