Nonpolar molecules
Nonpolar molecules are molecules that have an even distribution of electrons and, therefore, do not have a distinct positive and negative end. This occurs when the atoms in the molecule have similar electronegativities or when the molecular structure is symmetric, resulting in a balanced charge distribution.
Some common examples of nonpolar molecules include:
Hydrocarbons: Compounds consisting of only carbon and hydrogen, such as methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), and propane (C₃H₈).
Diatomic molecules: Some diatomic molecules are nonpolar, such as oxygen (O₂) and nitrogen (N₂), when they form a pure diatomic molecule.
Halogens: The diatomic molecules of halogens, such as fluorine (F₂), chlorine (Cl₂), bromine (Br₂), and iodine (I₂), are nonpolar.
Tetrahedral molecules with identical outer atoms: Molecules with a tetrahedral geometry, where all the outer atoms are identical, are nonpolar. An example is methane (CH₄).
Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): Despite having polar bonds (between carbon and oxygen), the linear molecular geometry results in a symmetrical distribution of charge, making the molecule nonpolar overall.
Comments
Post a Comment