why is trigonal planar shape non-polar?

[Ella_hou]

my reasoning for thinking trigonal planar shapes (AX3) are non-polar is due to the cancellation of dipoles that do not balance out. however, this explanation is wrong. can anyone explain to me why molecules with a trigonal planar shape are non-polar? thanks!

[Natalie Swerdlow 3K]

I think a reason why the trigonal planar shape is nonpolar is due to its symmetry. Due to the bond angles being the same, the bond polarities cancel each other out since the atom bonded to the central atom is the same. If you compare trigonal planar to trigonal pyramidal, a trigonal pyramidal shape will usually be polar due to the lone pair now making the atom non symmetrical so the bond dipoles won't cancel out.

[butteredbread]

Trigonal Planar molecules are non polar because they three bonds cancel each other out. Since the bonds are exactly the same length the dipole moments pull away with exactly the same force and they cancel each other out.

[Shreya Thyagarajan Dis1A]

The trigonal planar shape is non-polar because the atoms are structured symmetrically around the central atom. This means that the dipole moments will cancel each other out because the bond angles are all the same.

[Evonne Chau 2I]

Hi Ella,

I think it depends on the molecule. CH2O is polar molecule with a trigonal planar shape. CO3 is a nonpolar molecule with a trigonal planar shape. In CO3, the bond angles are the same (120) because the O atoms are structured symmetrically around the center atom (C). This results in the dipoles cancelling out. On the other hand, in CH2O, O is more electronegative, so the dipoles do not cancel out. This results in a polar molecule. Although it's polar, it's still trigonal planar.

[emily3L]

The trigonal planar shape can be nonpolar because it can contain non polar bonds with dipoles that cancel, making it have a zero electric dipole moment.

[Evan L 2B]

Trigonal Planar is not always non-polar. If all of the atoms connected to the center atom are the same then the molecule is non-polar because all of the pulls cancel each other out. However, If you have two attached atoms the same and one different then the molecule is polar. The dipole moment will be in the direction of whatever element/elements are most electronegative.

[205819952]

Because the atoms are organized symmetrically around the central atom, the trigonal planar shape is non-polar.

[Benjamin Nguyen 1J]

It's nonpolar because the atoms are aligned in a symmetrical shape, so the dipoles will cancel out.

[Nick Oscarson 1K]

Trigonal planar shapes that have the same species of atom surrounding the central atom would be classified as non-polar because the dipole moments would cancel one another out. For example, BF3 would be considered non-polar because the F atoms surround the B atom, forming a symmetrical shape where the polar B-F bonds would cancel each other out.
However, some trigonal planar shapes can be polar. For example, formaldehyde, CH2O, is polar because the polar C-O bond is not canceled out by the C-H bonds. Quite simply, CH2O does not have a symmetrical shape, so the compound is polar.

This video goes into more detail and includes more examples! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiZXRScxbl0

[Gianna Sciole 2F]

the trigonal planar shape is nonpolar because the dipole charges will cancel out. although you could have three slightly negatively charged atoms 120 degree angles from each other, if they are the same atom, they have the same electronegativity, and pull the electrons equivalently, resulting in an overall neutral atom.

[Isabelle Kludt 2B]

its non polar because it is symetrical and the dipoles go equally each direction so they cancel out. one side does not have a charge because they are all the same.

[Neha Mukund]

Trigonal planar molecules can be non-polar because the dipoles can go in symmetrically opposite directions, which will cause in the dipoles cancelling out.

[Ashley Wilson 2L]

When the dipole moments are symmetrical, they cancel out and make the molecular nonpolar. I think of it as a game of tug-of-war: if there is an equal pull from all sides, no one side is dominating. This means there is not an unequal electron distribution throughout the molecule, meaning the molecular is not polar.

[Diego Gonzalez 1H]

Trigonal planar shape is non-polar because it is symmetrical and thus, the dipole moments will cancel each other out.

[Joshua Lee 3C]

Trigonal planar molecules are only nonpolar if the three atoms bonded to the central atom are the same atom. The trigonal planar shape is symmetrical, thus if the three atoms bonded to the central atom are the same, then each bond would cancel out as each bond is equal to one another. However, one one of the three atoms were different, then the bonds would be different in strength and the dipole would be shifted. In this case, the molecule would be polar as the three bonds wouldn't cancel each other out.

[Kavya Anand 2B]

The trigonal planar shape is non polar because in this shape, the atoms are arranged symmetrically around the center molecule.

[BB Dis 1H]

Is the trigonal planar shape only nonpolar if all three of the atoms connected to the central atom have the same electronegativity? Otherwise it would be polar, right?

[Aneesha_Nema_3C]

Trigonal planar molecules are nonpolar because of the symmetry of the molecule. The three bonds would cancel each other out as they are all equidistant from one another.

[Eszter Kovacs 1A]

Because the dipole moments cancel each other.

[bernal_maria1A]

The trigonal planar shape is non-polar because the bond polarities cancel each other out, I think of it like it's equally distributed

[Hailey Jeon]

Trigonal planar shape is nonpolar because the dipole moment of each ligand to central atom cancels out. In other words, the vector all cancels out at the central atom and the polarity is 0.

[Ainsley DeMuth 1H]

Trigonal planar molecular shape has a sense of symmetry to it. Because of this, all of the bond polarities will cancel each other out and result in a non-polar molecule. The overall dipole/polarity will be 0 because they all cancel out.

[Tyler Olson 1E]

The trigonal planar shape is non-polar because of the symmetry the atoms have around the central atom. They are all spread out evenly so it is non-polar!

[Chris Van 2J]

Around the central atom, the dipole moments cancel out!

[cnyland]

The trigonal planar shape is non-polar because all of the dipoles cancel each other out.