MOLECULAR POLARITYFIELD NOTE 45 / 175
Is Pentane (C5H12) polar or nonpolar?
Pentane (C5H12) is nonpolar because its five-carbon chain contains only weakly polar C–H and nonpolar C–C bonds.
Pentane · 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 C5H12 is nonpolar
Pentane is a saturated hydrocarbon: every carbon is locally tetrahedral, and the chain can bend by rotating around single bonds. It has no oxygen, nitrogen, or halogen group to create a distinct negative end, so it is treated as a nonpolar molecule.
What to notice
Do not confuse a longer zigzag shape with a stronger molecular dipole. Pentane has more bonds than propane but still lacks a polar functional group.
Common questions about C5H12
- 01
What does the Lewis structure of C5H12 show?
The straight-chain structure is CH3–CH2–CH2–CH2–CH3. All bonds are single, every carbon makes four bonds, and there are no lone pairs.
- 02
What is the molecular geometry of C5H12?
C5H12 has a tetrahedral at each C; flexible chain molecular geometry. The 3D model shows representative bond angles of 111.3° and 109.7° and 107.1°. These angles come from the displayed model coordinates.
- 03
What is the molar mass of C5H12?
C5H12 has an approximate molar mass of 72.15 g/mol, calculated from its formula using abridged standard atomic weights. Natural isotope variation can change the last digits.