Question

What is the difference between polar and nonpolar, how do you tell the difference?

Answer 1

A polar molecule is a molecule containing polar bonds where the sum of all the bond's dipole moments is not zero. For instance, water, is a polar molecule.

Answer 2

the electrons cause a sort of "repulsion" of the hydrogen atoms to point downward, making a new angle of about 109.8º

Answer 3

However, if you have carbon dioxide
there is NO dipole. it is straight. therefore, this molecule is non-polar.

Answer 4

although there is polar bonds, they cancel out due to symmetry and other factors. but this is a general statement. this is a tough concept to understand and explain, i know. but i hope this makes sense.