POLARITY OF MOLECULES

AT THE END OF THIS SECTION STUDENTS ARE

EXPECTED TO
a.Determine if a molecule is polar and
nonpolar
b.Relate the polarity of molecules to
their properties
INTERMOLECULAR FORCES
➢Before we begin polarity of
molecules, we shall briefly
discuss the intramolecular
forces that bind atoms
together in a molecule. These
forces are also referred as
bonds:
Ionic bond
Covalent bond
Metallic bonding
IONIC BOND
➢Formed when atom
transfers one or more
of its valence electron
to another
➢Usually occurs when
metals bond with non-
metals
COVALENT BOND
➢Formed when atoms
share their valence
electrons with another
➢Usually occurs when
non-metals bond with
non-metals
METALLIC BONDING
➢Occurs among atoms
of metals in which
valence electrons move
through a lattice of
positively charged ions
➢Usually occurs when
metals bond with other
metals
ELECTROSTATIC FORCE

➢Acts as a
“glue” that
binds the
atoms
together
ELECTRONEGATIVITY
➢Measures the tendency of an atom to attract electrons
➢The higher the EN of an atom, the greater its attraction
for bonding pairs of electrons
POLARITY
➢Refers to the separation of electric charge that leads to
have a positive and a negative end
➢The positive end is indicated by δ+, the negative end is
indicated by δ-
➢Separation of charges creates two poles
➢The molecule has a dipole (two poles) and the bond is
polar
➢Molecules which display this characteristic is said to be a
polar molecule
POLARITY
➢Ionic bonds are essentially polar bonds
because when an electron transfers to the
valence shell of another, a complete
separation of charges arises
➢Covalent bonds, however, there are degrees
of polarity: polar covalent bonds and non-polar
covalent bonds
BOND POLARITY
➢We can use Pauling’s
table of
electronegativity to
determine the polarity
and bond type that is
formed by two atoms
BOND POLARITY

Absolute Difference Interpretation of Bond Type

Greater than or equal to 1.7 Ionic Bond

Between 0.5 and 1.7 Polar Covalent Bond

0.5 or Less Nonpolar Covalent Bond

EXAMPLE

Predict if the following bond are ionic,

polar covalent, or non-polar ionic
a.H – O
b.C – Br
c. K - Cl
SOLUTION
Go to Pauling’s Table of electronegativity and
obtain the EN of each atom in the molecule
a. EN (H) = 2.1 and EN (O) = 3.5
ǀ2.1 – 3.5ǀ = 1.4
Using the previous table, it is a polar covalent
bond
SOLUTION
Go to Pauling’s Table of electronegativity and
obtain the EN of each atom in the molecule
b. EN (C) = 2.5 and EN (Br) = 2.8
ǀ2.5 – 2.8ǀ = 0.3
Using the previous table, it is a non-polar
covalent bond
SOLUTION
Go to Pauling’s Table of electronegativity and
obtain the EN of each atom in the molecule
c. EN (K) = 0.8 and EN (Cl) = 3.0
ǀ0.8 – 3.0ǀ = 2.2
Using the previous table, it is an ionic bond
➢In a hindsight, this is sure to be an ionic bond
because it combines non-metals with metals
POLAR BONDS IN A NON-POLAR MOLECULE
➢Not every molecule with polar bonds is a polar molecule
➢We shall illustrate this by showing the Lewis dot
configuration of C and O and the resulting bonds in CO2
POLAR BONDS IN A NON-POLAR MOLECULE
➢C shares 2 of its valence electrons with 1 atom of O to form
a covalent bond
➢By sharing another 2 of C’s valence electrons with another
atom of O, the molecule CO2 is formed
➢The EN between 1 atom of C and 1 atom of O suggests a
polar covalent bond
➢But because the molecules has 2 atoms of O, the molecule has
2 dipoles, which cancels the other
➢The net effect of this cancellation turns CO2 into non-polar
molecule
POLARITY AND CHARACTERISTICS OF A
MOLECULE
➢The polarity of a molecule affects the
molecule’s physical properties (boiling pt.,
freezing pt., viscosity, surface tension,
solubility, etc.)
➢Polar molecules would have stronger
intermolecular forces than nonpolar molecules
WATER AS A POLAR MOLECULE
We shall illustrate the characteristics of polar
molecules by discussing some properties of water
a. Water easily dissolved other polar molecules
➢The positive ends of polar molecules are
attracted to the O atom of H2O and the
negative ends to H
➢It is this reason that H2O becomes important for
sustaining life on Earth
WATER AS A POLAR MOLECULE
a. Water easily dissolved other polar molecules
➢It dissolves more substances than any other
liquid, and is often called universal solvent
➢Through water, for example, soil nutrients are
dissolved making them available to plants and
animals
WATER AS A POLAR MOLECULE
b. Water molecules are strongly attracted to one
another, which gives them a high surface tension
➢They stick together forming a “skin” which is
strong enough to support light objects
WATER AS A POLAR MOLECULE
b. Water molecules are strongly attracted to one
another, which gives them a high surface tension
➢Water is also has high cohesion and adhesion
which allows water to move through plant roots
and stems, and through blood veins in our body
(capillary action) even against the pull of
gravity
WATER AS A POLAR MOLECULE
c. Water also creates a hydrophobic effect on non-
polar molecules
➢This effect causes non-polar molecules to lump
together in aqueous solution, which leads to the
formation of new non-polar compounds
COCONUT OIL AS A NON-POLAR MOLECULE
We shall illustrate the
characteristics of non-polar
molecules by recording our
observations of common
household cooking oil such as
the virgin coconut oil and
comparing them with water
COCONUT OIL AS A NON-POLAR MOLECULE
a. At room temp. coconut oil is insoluble in water
➢Oil and water are immiscible, they do not mix
➢“Like dissolves like”: a rule in dissolving
substances
➢The effective solvent for coconut oil are non-
polar compounds (e.g., gasoline, benzene, and
acetone)
COCONUT OIL AS A NON-POLAR MOLECULE
b. When used as food, coconut oil gives crucial health
benefit to our body’s proper metabolism
➢It becomes an effective carrier of fat soluble
vitamins (A, D, E, K), which are also non-polar
like coconut oil
➢They mix with coconut oil allowing our body to
absorb them
COCONUT OIL AS A NON-POLAR MOLECULE
c. When coconut oil is applied
directly on the skin (or as an
cosmetics ingredients), it
serves 2 purposes:
1. Acts as a barrier which
prevents skin’s moisture
from evaporating, thus
preventing dryness
COCONUT OIL AS A NON-POLAR MOLECULE
c. When coconut oil is applied
directly on the skin (or as an
cosmetics ingredients), it
serves 2 purposes:
2. Part of coconut oil splits
into fatty acids and
glycerol. Fatty acids
forms a protective layer
against harmful
bacteria
COCONUT OIL AS A NON-POLAR MOLECULE
d. Clinical trials demonstrated that coconut oil can
effectively deactivate and kill HIV virus
➢The trial was headed by Dr. Conrado Dayrit and Dr.
Eric Tayag of DOH in 1998
➢Since HIV virus is coated with s layer of lipids (non-
polar), the non-polar carbon chain acts as like a
solvent separating the lipid coating from the virus
➢With the protective coating removed, it is now
vulnerable to the workings of the body’s immune
system
RELATIVE STRENGTH OF INTRAMOLECULAR
FORCES
Intramolecular Force Mechanism Relative Strength
Attraction between a lattice of
Metallic bond cations and delocalized anions 1 (Strongest)
Attraction between cations
Ionic bond and anions 2
Attraction between partially
Polar covalent bond charged cations and partially 3
charged anions

Non-polar covalent bond Shared electrons 4 (Weakest)

NEXT TOPIC: INTERMOCULAR FORCES