MOLECULAR POLARITYFIELD NOTE 95 / 175
Is CO2 polar or nonpolar?
CO2 is a nonpolar molecule because its linear geometry causes the two polar C=O bond dipoles to cancel exactly.
Carbon Dioxide · linear
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 CO2 is nonpolar
Although each C=O bond is polar (O is more electronegative than C), CO2 is linear with a 180° bond angle.
What to notice
CO2 is linear and nonpolar, but each C=O bond is polar. It is the two equal, opposite bond dipoles that cancel.
Common questions about CO2
- 01
What does the Lewis structure of CO2 show?
The common structure is O=C=O. Carbon forms two double bonds, and each oxygen has two lone pairs.
- 02
What is the molecular geometry of CO2?
CO2 has a linear molecular geometry. The 3D model shows representative bond angles of 180°. These angles come from the displayed model coordinates.
- 03
What is the molar mass of CO2?
CO2 has an approximate molar mass of 44.01 g/mol, calculated from its formula using abridged standard atomic weights. Natural isotope variation can change the last digits.