Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Polarity refers to the distribution of electric charges in a molecule, leading to regions of positive and negative charge. It determines how molecules interact with each other.
Related terms
Nonpolar Molecules: These are molecules where electrons are shared equally by the atoms, resulting in no charge separation.
Dipole Moment: This is a measure of the overall polarity of a molecule.
Hydrogen Bonding: A type of intermolecular force that occurs when a hydrogen atom bonded to an electronegative atom interacts with another electronegative atom. It's stronger due to polarity.