MOLECULAR POLARITYFIELD NOTE 77 / 175
Is CH3COOH polar or nonpolar?
CH3COOH is polar because its carboxyl group places two oxygens at one end of the molecule.
Acetic Acid · tetrahedral at methyl C; planar at carboxyl C
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 CH3COOH is polar
The –COOH group contains a carbonyl oxygen and a hydroxyl oxygen, both more electronegative than carbon or hydrogen. Their bond dipoles are not mirrored by the methyl end, so the isolated acid molecule is polar.
What to notice
The –COOH end is chemically and electrically different from CH3. Acetic acid also associates in dimers, which should not be confused with one-molecule geometry.
Common questions about CH3COOH
- 01
What does the Lewis structure of CH3COOH show?
The connectivity is CH3–C(=O)–O–H. Both oxygen atoms have two lone pairs in the neutral Lewis drawing.
- 02
What is the molecular geometry of CH3COOH?
CH3COOH has a tetrahedral at methyl C; planar at carboxyl C molecular geometry. The 3D model shows representative bond angles of 111.9° and 109.8° and 110.6°. These angles come from the displayed model coordinates.
- 03
What is the molar mass of CH3COOH?
CH3COOH has an approximate molar mass of 60.05 g/mol, calculated from its formula using abridged standard atomic weights. Natural isotope variation can change the last digits.