Table of Contents
What are Polar Compounds?
Polar compounds are those that have a net positive or negative electrical charge. This occurs because the atoms within the molecule are not symmetrical, with some atoms having a greater affinity for electrons than others. This creates a separation of charge, which gives the molecule a net electrical polarity.
Overview of Polar Compounds
A polar compound is a molecule that has an uneven distribution of electronegativity. This means that one end of the molecule will have a slightly negative charge, while the other end will have a slightly positive charge. This uneven distribution creates a dipole moment, which is a measure of the polarity of a molecule.
Polar compounds are attracted to one another, and they tend to dissolve in polar solvents. This is because the polar molecules are able to interact with one another, and the polar solvent is able to dissolve the polar molecules. Nonpolar compounds, on the other hand, are not attracted to one another and they do not dissolve in polar solvents.
Examples of Polar Molecule
A covalent bond is a type of chemical bond that involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms. Covalent bonds can be polar or nonpolar. In a polar covalent bond, the electron pairs are not shared equally between the atoms. One atom will have a slightly stronger attraction to the electrons than the other atom. This results in a molecule with a positive end and a negative end. A polar molecule will be attracted to other polar molecules and will dissolve in water. A nonpolar molecule will not be attracted to other polar molecules and will not dissolve in water.
Differentiation of Polar Compounds from the Non-Polar compounds
Polarity is a measure of how electrically charged a molecule is. A polar molecule is one in which the positive and negative charges are not evenly distributed. This uneven distribution creates a dipole moment, which is a measure of the molecule’s polarity.
Non-polar molecules are those in which the positive and negative charges are evenly distributed. This lack of polarity creates a zero dipole moment.
Polarity arises from the interaction of electric fields between molecules. In polar molecules, the positive and negative charges are not evenly distributed. This creates a dipole moment, which is a measure of the molecule’s polarity.
The polarity of a molecule is important because it dictates how the molecule will interact with other molecules. Polarity is what allows water to dissolve polar molecules, such as salts. Non-polar molecules are not as soluble in water and tend to clump together.
