MOLECULAR POLARITYFIELD NOTE 36 / 175
Is Butane (C4H10) polar or nonpolar?
Butane (C4H10) is nonpolar because its C–C and C–H bonds form a hydrocarbon chain without a polar functional group.
Butane · tetrahedral at each C; flexible chain
The molecule in space
Drag to turn the molecule. Show angles to read the model geometry.
01 / MODEL RECORDPubChem 3D coordinates. Atom sizes and bond thickness are illustrative.How model data is used ↗
Why C4H10 is nonpolar
Each carbon in butane has four single bonds and can rotate about the C–C single bonds. This changes the shape of an individual conformer but does not add an electronegative end like an –OH or C=O group, so butane is conventionally classed as nonpolar.
What to notice
Butane is flexible, so the 3D viewer shows one conformer rather than a rigid molecular shape. Its nonpolar classification refers to the hydrocarbon, not one frozen pose.
Common questions about C4H10
- 01
What does the Lewis structure of C4H10 show?
The chain is CH3–CH2–CH2–CH3, with only C–C and C–H single bonds. Each carbon completes four bonds and none of the atoms has a lone pair.
- 02
What is the molecular geometry of C4H10?
C4H10 has a tetrahedral at each C; flexible chain molecular geometry. The 3D model shows representative bond angles of 111.5° and 109.9° and 109.1°. These angles come from the displayed model coordinates.
- 03
What is the molar mass of C4H10?
C4H10 has an approximate molar mass of 58.12 g/mol, calculated from its formula using abridged standard atomic weights. Natural isotope variation can change the last digits.