Polar Covalent Bond

Definition

A polar covalent bond is a type of chemical bond where a pair of electrons is unequally shared between two atoms. This happens when one atom has higher electronegativity than the other, causing an uneven distribution of charge.

Related terms

Electronegativity:

The measure of the ability of an atom in a chemical compound to attract electrons from another atom in the compound.

Covalent Bond: A type of strong chemical bond where two atoms share one or more pairs of valence electrons.

Dipole Moment: A measure of the polarity in a system of charges; for molecules, it's created by differences in electronegativity.