Is CH3CH3 polar or nonpolar?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking whether the molecule CH₃CH₃, known as ethane, is polar or nonpolar. To determine this, we consider the molecule's structure and the electronegativity of its atoms.
Answer
nonpolar
The final answer is nonpolar.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is nonpolar.
More Information
Ethane (CH3CH3) is nonpolar because its molecular structure results in the cancellation of dipole moments. The C-H bonds have slight dipole moments, but these cancel out due to the symmetric arrangement of the molecule.
Tips
A common mistake is assuming that all molecules with polar bonds are polar as a whole. The overall polarity of a molecule depends on its geometry as well.