MOLECULAR POLARITYFIELD NOTE 115 / 175
Is H2SO4 polar or nonpolar?
Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) is polar because two O–H groups make the four oxygen surroundings of sulfur inequivalent.
Sulfuric Acid · approximately tetrahedral around S
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 H2SO4 is polar
For an isolated neutral H2SO4 molecule, sulfur connects to four oxygens, two of which carry hydrogen. Although the oxygen directions are approximately tetrahedral, the substituents are not all equivalent.
What to notice
An aqueous sulfuric acid solution contains ions; the model here shows one neutral gas-phase molecule and should not be confused with sulfate SO4²−.
Common questions about H2SO4
- 01
What does the Lewis structure of H2SO4 show?
A conventional expanded-octet drawing is HO–S(=O)2–OH. Other charge-separated contributors can be drawn; the two acidic hydrogens belong on oxygen.
- 02
What is the molecular geometry of H2SO4?
H2SO4 has a approximately tetrahedral around S molecular geometry. The 3D model shows representative bond angles of 103° and 108° and 120.6°. These angles come from the displayed model coordinates.
- 03
What is the molar mass of H2SO4?
H2SO4 has an approximate molar mass of 98.07 g/mol, calculated from its formula using abridged standard atomic weights. Natural isotope variation can change the last digits.