How is CCl4 non polar? it has a tetrahedral shape but the bonds dont cancel out each other to be non polar though...

Question

rogue · Answer

What do you mean bonds don't cancel out? In order for a molecule to be nonpolar, it must have no net dipole moments. For CCl4, the vectors all cancel out, so it is nonpolar...

anonymous · Answer

yea..i think i mean the vectors. i tried it and how come it doesnt cancel out...
did i do something wrong..

rogue · Answer

Here is the 3D structure for CH4. Just replace the H's with chlorine for it to CCl4. Its a bit hard to see, but all the vectors go in 3D angles that cancel out.

rogue · Answer

for it to be CCl4*

anonymous · Answer

just draw the lewis structure and look at the shape if its symmetrical than than the shape is nonpolar but if the shape is not symmetrical than its polar. for example H2O is polar and not symmetrical while CCl4 is nonpolar and symmetrical.

hope this helps :D

anonymous · Answer

Moddie: H2O is symmetrical too. 
You have to see the addition of the dipole moments.
By geometry if the C is at the origin then you take four vectors at the ends of a tetrahedron the vector sum reduces to 0.