Is it Polar?
Explore the 3D structure and polarity of molecules.
Popular Molecules
Check if common molecules like H2O, CO2, and CH4 are polar or nonpolar.
What is Molecular Polarity?
Molecular polarity describes how electric charge is distributed across a molecule. When atoms with different electronegativities bond together, electrons are not shared equally — one side becomes slightly negative, the other slightly positive, creating a dipole moment.
Not all molecules are polar. Even if individual bonds are polar, the overall shape determines whether those effects cancel out or add up. A symmetrical molecule like CO₂ is nonpolar despite its polar bonds, while the bent shape of H₂O makes it strongly polar.
Polarity affects how molecules interact — it influences solubility, boiling points, and even biological behavior.