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Question

Question: Give an example of a nonpolar molecule....

Give an example of a nonpolar molecule.

Explanation

Solution

Hint : Molecules are generally classified as polar and non-polar depending on the electronegativity difference between the bonded atoms. Some molecules lie between polar and nonpolar that are the intermediate polar molecules.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
Let us first understand what polarity means, it is the distribution of charge over the atoms or molecules or chemical groups.
A molecule is polar when there is a difference in the electronegativity of the atoms bonded together.
Whereas, non-polar molecules are the ones in which the electron pair is equally shared between the atoms mostly in a diatomic molecule. A nonpolar molecule can also form in larger molecules when the polar bonds arrange themself in such a way that they cancel out each other. There are no charges present over the non-polar molecule as they symmetrically nullify each other. True non-polar molecules are formed with identical atoms only.
Examples of non-polar molecules when there is zero electronegativity difference: O2{{O}_{2}}
The oxygen molecule is diatomic. Two oxygen atoms are bonded together to form an O2{{O}_{2}} molecule. Both the Oxygen atoms have the same electronegativity and thus they share equal charges. Due to this no partial charges are formed on the atom. Therefore, O2{{O}_{2}} is a nonpolar molecule and has a dipole moment of zero.

Note :
Remember that the molecules having electronegativity differences less than 0.5 are considered to be non-polar. The polarity of a molecule can help you to find whether two molecules will mix or not. Polar molecules do not dissolve in nonpolar molecules and vice versa.