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Polarity

DanielDaniels

Why? Shouldn't the dipole moment be zero here?

http://imgur.com/5QxQDWx

Reply 1

charco

Study Forum Helper

Original post by Daniel Atieh

Why? Shouldn't the dipole moment be zero here?

http://imgur.com/5QxQDWx

because the carbon atom is tetrahedral. It is misldading when you see a two dimensional structure, but you should try to think in three dimensions.

Reply 2

Fango_Jett

Original post by Daniel Atieh

Why? Shouldn't the dipole moment be zero here?

http://imgur.com/5QxQDWx

If you think of the dipole moments as a vector, they will cancel out if you add them all up. However, as the vectors to differing atoms are of different magnitude, they won't cancel out, leaving you with a net dipole moment.

Reply 3

DanielDaniels

Original post by charco

because the carbon atom is tetrahedral. It is misldading when you see a two dimensional structure, but you should try to think in three dimensions.

Thanks a bunch!

So whenever the geometry of the molecule is tetrahedral ( 4 bonding pairs, 0 lone pairs), the dipole moment is not equal to zero right?

Reply 4

charco

Study Forum Helper

Original post by Daniel Atieh

Thanks a bunch!

So whenever the geometry of the molecule is tetrahedral ( 4 bonding pairs, 0 lone pairs), the dipole moment is not equal to zero right?