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Polar Molecules

Part of the Structure and Bonding section of Coddy's Chemistry journey. Lesson 25 of 49.

A polar bond is a small dipole. A molecule is polar when its dipoles add up to an overall one.

Water is bent: both dipoles point toward oxygen, so water is polar. Ammonia is polar the same way.

Water, bent, with partial charges on oxygen and hydrogen, beside carbon dioxide, a straight line with partial charges on both oxygens

Water's bond dipoles add up; carbon dioxide's point opposite ways and cancel

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Challenge

Water, H₂O. What shape is it, and is the molecule polar?

Try it yourself

Shape viewerDescribe the molecule H2O
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This lesson includes a short quiz. Start the lesson to answer it and track your progress.

All lessons in Structure and Bonding

1Ionic Bonding

Why Atoms BondForming IonsThe Ionic BondIonic FormulasPolyatomic IonsIonic LatticesRecap - Salt Factory

4Polarity

Electronegativity and BondsPolar and Non-polar BondsIonic or CovalentPolar MoleculesWhen Dipoles CancelRecap - Dipole Hunt

7Functional Groups

Carbon ChainsStructural FormulasAlcoholsCarboxylic AcidsEsters and EthersAldehydes, Ketones, AminesRecap - Group Finder

2Covalent Bonds

Sharing ElectronsCounting Valence ElectronsDrawing Lewis StructuresDouble and Triple BondsLone PairsFormal ChargeLewis Structures of IonsRecap - Molecule Builder

5Forces Between Molecules

London ForcesDipole-Dipole ForcesHydrogen BondsBoiling PointsLike Dissolves LikeRecap - Boiling Contest

8Practice Problems

Recap - Polar Bonds SurveyRecap - Pigments and HexaneRecap - Butanol and EtherRecap - Dots on an Oxide

3Shapes of Molecules

Electron GroupsLinear and Trigonal PlanarTetrahedral MoleculesPyramids and Bent MoleculesBond AnglesRecap - Shape Detective

6Metals and Giant Structures

Metallic BondingDiamond and GraphiteGiant Covalent StructuresFour Kinds of SubstanceRecap - Material Match