MOLECULAR POLARITYFIELD NOTE 143 / 175
Is NO2 polar or nonpolar?
NO2 is polar: its two N–O bonds meet at about 134.1°, so their dipoles do not point in opposite directions.
Nitrogen Dioxide · bent
The molecule in space
Drag to turn the molecule. Show angles to read the model geometry.
01 / MODEL RECORDNIST geometry. Atom sizes and bond thickness are illustrative.How model data is used ↗
Lewis structure of NO2
A Lewis diagram counts valence electrons. The model above shows the shape in space.
- 01
Bonds
Neutral NO₂ is a radical. Each resonance drawing has one N–O single bond, one N=O double bond, and one unpaired electron on N; the actual bonds are equivalent.
- 02
Shape
The molecule is bent. The two drawings show electron delocalization, not two different shapes.
- 03
Net dipole
The N–O bond dipoles do not cancel in a bent molecule; NO₂ has a net dipole.
Why NO2 is polar
Neutral nitrogen dioxide has 17 valence electrons and one unpaired electron, so it is a radical. Resonance makes its two N–O bonds equivalent; NIST reports a 1.1934 Å distance for each and an O–N–O angle of 134.1°. Their dipole components along the angle bisector add, giving a measured dipole of 0.316 D. Two fixed double bonds are not a valid single Lewis structure for this odd-electron molecule.
What to notice
NO2 is an odd-electron radical with two equivalent, resonance-delocalized N–O bonds. Its bent 134.1° structure has a net dipole; do not confuse it with linear NO2+.
Common questions about NO2
- 01
What does the Lewis structure of NO2 show?
NO2 has 17 valence electrons, so its Lewis structure includes an unpaired electron on N. Resonance forms redistribute the N–O bonding; a single fixed double-bond sketch is incomplete.
- 02
What is the molecular geometry of NO2?
NO2 has a bent molecular geometry. The 3D model shows representative bond angles of 134.1°. These angles come from the displayed model coordinates.
- 03
What is the molar mass of NO2?
NO2 has an approximate molar mass of 46.01 g/mol, calculated from its formula using abridged standard atomic weights. Natural isotope variation can change the last digits.