How does a molecules symmetry relate to polarity?

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How does a molecules symmetry relate to polarity?

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Answer 1 · 2015-11-23T14:37:59

Polarity results from the vector sum of the individual bond dipoles. Clearly, molecular symmetry determines the vector sum

Explanation:

Take 2 molecules, $C F_{4}$ $CF_4$ , and $C H C l_{3}$ $CHCl_3$ . Both $C - C l$ $C-Cl$ , and $C - F$ $C-F$ bonds are quite polar (the halogen is more electronegative than carbon, and the halogen atom polarizes electron density towards itself. Now, $F$ $F$ is more effective than $C l$ $Cl$ in this activity. Nevertheless, $C F_{4}$ $CF_4$ is non-polar, whereas chloroform is quite polar as solvents go. Why?

Molecular polarity results from the vector sum of the individual bond dipoles. When the $C \to F$ $CrarrF$ dipoles are added, the overall vector sum is zero (necessarily, because $C F_{4}$ $CF_4$ is a regular tetrahedron. When the $C \to C l$ $CrarrCl$ and the $C - H$ $C-H$ dipoles are added, the resultant is non-zero.

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How does a molecules symmetry relate to polarity?

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