In: Chemistry
The Lewis structures of four compounds are given. Which of these molecules are polar? CH2Cl2 SO2 PCl3 CO2
CO2 - nonpolar because the dipole moments on the molecule cancels
SO2 - polar because the dipole moments on the O do not cancel (SO2 assumes a tetrahedral shape)
PCl3 - polar because the P-Cl bonds do not cancel out
CH2Cl2 - polar because the C-Cl bonds do not cancel. (CH bond are nonpolar)
The other answer assumed that all of the molecules are nonpolar; that is not correct. He may have assumed that SO2 obeyed the octet rule and did not take into account the polarity of bonds in PCl3 and CH2Cl2.