College Physics III – Thermodynamics, Electricity, and Magnetism
Definition
A permanent dipole is a pair of equal and opposite electric charges separated by a fixed distance, resulting in a constant electric dipole moment. Permanent dipoles occur in molecules where there is an inherent separation of charge due to differences in electronegativity between bonded atoms.
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Permanent dipoles are characterized by having both a positive and negative charge separated by a fixed distance.
The strength of a permanent dipole is quantified by its dipole moment, which is the product of the charge magnitude and the separation distance.
Permanent dipoles generate an electric field that can interact with external fields or other dipoles.
In the presence of an external electric field, permanent dipoles tend to align themselves along the field direction.
Polar molecules like water have permanent dipoles due to uneven distribution of electron density.
Review Questions
What determines the strength of a permanent dipole?
How do permanent dipoles behave when subjected to an external electric field?
Why do polar molecules exhibit permanent dipoles?
Related terms
Dipole Moment: A measure of the separation of positive and negative charges within a system; calculated as the product of the charge magnitude and the distance separating them.
Electric Field: A region around charged particles or objects within which other charged particles experience a force.
Polar Molecule: A molecule with an unequal distribution of electron density, resulting in regions of partial positive and negative charge.