MOLECULAR POLARITYFIELD NOTE 86 / 175
Is CHCl3 polar or nonpolar?
CHCl3 is polar because three C–Cl bonds and one C–H bond do not cancel in its tetrahedral arrangement.
Chloroform · tetrahedral
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 CHCl3 is polar
Chloroform has three chlorine atoms and one hydrogen arranged tetrahedrally around carbon. The three C–Cl dipoles all point in a similar direction (toward Cl), and while the single C–H dipole partially opposes them, it is insufficient to cancel them.
What to notice
Three chlorines and one hydrogen do not occupy equivalent roles around carbon. The tetrahedral arrangement therefore retains a net dipole.
Common questions about CHCl3
- 01
What does the Lewis structure of CHCl3 show?
C makes three C–Cl single bonds and one C–H single bond. Each Cl has three lone pairs.
- 02
What is the molecular geometry of CHCl3?
CHCl3 has a tetrahedral molecular geometry. The 3D model shows representative bond angles of 110.6° and 108.3°. These angles come from the displayed model coordinates.
- 03
What is the molar mass of CHCl3?
CHCl3 has an approximate molar mass of 119.37 g/mol, calculated from its formula using abridged standard atomic weights. Natural isotope variation can change the last digits.