Aim: What are polar

bonds and polar

molecules?
Polar and Nonpolar Bonds
There are two types of covalent bonds
◦ Nonpolar Covalent Bonds (equal share of electrons)
◦ Polar Covalent Bonds (unequal share of electrons)
 Polar Covalent Bond
• A Polar Covalent Bond is unequal sharing of
electrons between two atoms (H-Cl)
• In a polar covalent bond, one atom typically has a
negative charge, and the other atom has a positive charge
 Nonpolar Covalent Bond
• A Nonpolar Covalent Bond is an equal sharing of
electrons between two atoms (Cl-Cl, N-N, O-O)
 Classification of Bonds
You can determine the type of bond between two atoms by
calculating the difference in electronegativity values between the
elements
The bigger the electronegativity difference the more polar the bond.
Type of Bond Electronegativity
Difference
Nonpolar Covalent 0  0.4
Polar Covalent 0.5  1.9
Ionic 2.0  4.0
 Practice
What type of bond is HCl? (H = 2.1, Cl = 3.1)
Difference = 3.1 – 2.1 = 1.0
Therefore it is polar covalent bond.
Your Turn To Practice
 N(3.0) and H(2.1)  Al(1.5) and Cl(3.0)
 H(2.1) and H(2.1)  Mg(1.2) and O(3.5)
 Ca(1.0) and Cl(3.0)  H(2.1) and F(4.0)
 How to show a bond is polar
Isn’t a whole charge just a partial charge
d+ means a partially positive (less electronegative)
d- means a partially negative (more electronegative)
d+ d-
H Cl
The Cl pulls harder on the electrons
The electrons spend more time near the Cl
 Polar Molecules
Molecules with a positive and a negative end
Requires two things to be true
 The molecule must contain polar bonds
This can be determined from differences in
electronegativity.
Asymmetric molecule.
Symmetrical Molecules
Because of symmetry, molecules that have polar bonds are
overall a nonpolar molecules (+ and – charges cancel out
or balance out)
◦Examples:
◦CO2 BF3

◦CCl4
 Asymmetrical Molecules
If a molecule has polar bonds (and there is no symmetry
to cancel out + and – charges), the molecule is polar.
◦Examples:
◦H2O HCl

◦NH3
 Dipole

When there is unequal sharing of electrons a dipole

exists
Dipole is a molecule that has two poles or regions
with opposite charges
A dipole is represented by a
dipole arrow pointing towards
the more negative end
Practice Drawing Dipoles
P- Br
P = 2.1 P –Br
d+ d-
Br = 2.8
Practice
 H(2.1) – S(2.5)
 F(4.0) - C(2.5)
 C(2.5) - Si(1.8)
 N(3.0) – O(3.5)
 Is it Polar?
HF

H2 O

NH3

CF4

CO2
 Summary
In a polar bond, one atom is more electronegative than the
other.
In a nonpolar bond, both atoms have similar electronegativities.
An asymmetric molecule with polar bonds is a polar molecule.
An asymmetric molecule with nonpolar bonds is a nonpolar
molecule.
A symmetric molecule, regardless of the polarity of the bonds, is
always a nonpolar molecule.