PHYSICAL SCIENCE

Name: Grade & sec:

Date: _____December 03, 2025___ Score: ____________________

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

THE POLARITY OF A MOLECULE BASED ON ITS STRUCTURE

Background Information for the Learners (BIL)

A molecule could be a group of atoms. It’s the tiniest unit that may participate during a
chemical reaction.

There are many different types of molecules, and each one of those molecules may be
categorized into polar and non-polar groups. They are separated from each within the
presence or absence of electric poles. Let’s explore further: There are many different
molecules, and there are many ways to sort them. A way to classify them relies on polarity.
Polarity means having dipoles, a positive and a negative end. Based on polarity, molecules
can be polar or nonpolar. Some samples of polar molecules are water, alcohol and ammonia
and non-polar molecules are hydrocarbons like gasoline, methane, ethylene and diatomic
molecules (O2, N2, etc.)
Polar molecules have dipoles. Dipole moment is use to measure the polarity of a chemical
bond between two atoms in a molecule. Their dipole moments of polar molecules don’t
add up to zero (or don’t cancel out). In polar molecules, we see that the charge is not
uniformly distributed. It’s electrically asymmetric, that is, the electrical charges are not
equally distributed. When a highly electronegative atom bond with a comparatively less
electronegative atom, a polar molecule is made. It interacts with other molecules of the
same polarity to form solutions. Water and carbon monoxide are examples of polar
molecules.
Nonpolar molecules do not have positive or negative ends. Their dipole moments add up
to zero (they cancel out). It is electrically symmetric, that is the electrical charges are
uniformly distributed. Most of the hydrocarbons liquids are nonpolar. Nonpolar molecules
do not interact the same way. If two combining atoms have similar or equal
electronegativity values, the bond formed is nonpolar. Carbon tetrachloride and methane
are examples of nonpolar molecules.

Source: [Link]
[Link]

Both types of molecules go by “like dissolves like” principle, which means that polar
molecules can dissolve into other polar molecules and nonpolar into other non- polar
molecules. Polar cannot dissolve into non-polar molecules and vice versa.

In terms of electronegativity difference, polar molecules has electronegativity

difference between 0.5 & 1.9 while nonpolar molecules have electronegativity difference
of 0.4 & less.

Source: [Link]

Example:
1. HCl
EN of H = 2.1
EN of Cl = 3.0 ΔEN = 0.9
2. H2O
EN of H = 2.1
EN of O = 3.5 ΔEN = 1.4
 Elements with the higher EN value become the partial negative pole while
elements with the lower EN value become the partial positive pole. This makes the molecule
a polar molecule.
Generally, you can tell if a molecule is polar or nonpolar based on its structure or
shape and the polarity of the individual bonds present in the molecule. Bond polarity is a
useful concept for describing the sharing of electrons between atoms

• A nonpolar covalent bond is one in which the electrons are shared equally
between two atoms
• A polar covalent bond is one in which one atom has a greater attraction for the
electrons than the other atom. If this relative attraction is great enough, then the bond
is an ionic bond

Example: H2, N2 --- polar

H-H, N-N

HCl, CO ---non-polar

CO2 , there is electrical symmetry therefore it is nonpolar.

C-O is polar but if we consider the whole O=C=O due to symmetry then
it is nonpolar.
Emphasize the possibility of having a polar bond between two
atoms but if we consider the structure of the whole molecule, it turns out to be
nonpolar.

HCN, it is electrically asymmetric therefore it is polar.

Molecular Geometry

The valence shell electron pair repulsion theory or VSEPR theory helps predict the spatial
arrangement of atoms in a polyatomic molecule. The shapes are designed to minimize the repulsion
within a molecule. Symmetry plays an important role in determining the polarity of a molecule.

Source: [Link]
[Link]

Guidelines to determine the Valence shell electron pair repulsion theory

(VSEPR) shape of a molecule:
1. Determine the central atom of a molecule. The central atom is the least
electronegative element.
2. Count how many valence electrons the central atom has.
3. Count how many valence electrons the side atoms have.
4. Create the appropriate Lewis structure of the molecule.
5. Using the Lewis structure as a guide, the appropriate VSEPR shape for
the molecule.
6. Note how many electrons are shared and unshared. This will help determine the
appropriate VSEPR shape. Lone pairs has a big factor in making a molecule
polar.
Steps in Determining the Polarity of a Molecule

1. Draw the correct Lewis structure and molecular geometry of the molecule.
2. Identify the polarity of each bond present in the molecule. A bond is polar when the atoms
in the bond have different electronegativity. Recall that electronegativity is the measure of
the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons. (You may use the periodic
table to determine the electronegativity values of the atoms.)
3. Draw the dipole moment vectors for polar bonds. The dipole moment vector points to the
more electronegative atom.

Source: [Link]

4. Determine the sum of the dipole moment vectors. If the dipole moments cancel out each
other, the molecule is nonpolar; otherwise, it is polar.

Example 1:
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas that you exhale.
1. Correct Lewis structure and geometry:

Source: [Link]

2. Oxygen is more electronegative than carbon. Therefore, the C—O bonds are polar.

Source: [Link] electronegativity of CO2

3. Since CO2 has a linear symmetrical structure, the dipole moments of the C—O bonds
cancel out.
Therefore, CO2 a nonpolar molecule.
 Example 2:
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a colorless toxic gas formed by burning sulfur in air.
1. Correct Lewis structure and geometry:

Source: [Link]

2. Oxygen is more electronegative than sulfur. Therefore, the S—O

bonds are polar.
Source: [Link]
oxygen-has-the- higher-electronegativity/

3. Since the molecule is bent-shaped, the dipole moments do not cancel out.
Therefore, SO2 is a polar molecule.

Tip: Note that the shape or structure does not directly determine whether the molecule is polar
or nonpolar. However, you need to know the shape of the molecule to know if the dipole
moments cancel out.

Are all bent molecules polar?

Mostly, yes. As aforesaid, bent molecules are asymmetrical just like trigonal pyramids and
that means that they are polar molecules.

The Exceptions
There are a few exceptions to the rules of polar and nonpolar molecules, and C-H bond
is a classic example. This molecule is nonpolar even though the bonds are slightly polar. Nitrogen
trichloride (NCl3) is a rare example. Nitrogen and chlorine are both electronegative. That’s why
their bond (N-Cl) is non-polar. However, when you see the NCl3 molecule, you will see that
the nitrogen atom has a single pair of electrons. This makes the molecule polar by nature.
Sulfur trioxide (SO3) and Boron trihydride (BH3) are other examples. They have polar
bonds, but they are nonpolar in nature. Ozone or trioxygen (O3), on the other hand, has a
nonpolar bond but is polar by nature.
 PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Name: Grade & sec:
Date: _____December 03, 2025___ Score: ____________________

HOMEBASED ACTIVITY # 2
Learning Competency:
Determine if a molecule is polar or non-polar given its structure (S11/12PS-IIIc-15)

Activity 1: Polar and Non-polar Bond

Direction: Identify the following molecules whether polar or nonpolar (it is possible to
have a polar bond between atoms but nonpolar molecule.)

Formula Polar or Nonpolar

1. NF

2. HCl

3. N2

4. CS2

5. N2O

6. O3

7. NI3

8. Br2

9. CH2O

10. BCl3

1. How are polar molecules different from nonpolar?

Q2. What types of elements combine to form a polar molecule and a non-polar
molecule?
 PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Name: Grade & sec:
Date: _____December 04, 2025 Score: ____________________

HOMEBASED ACTIVITY # 3

Activity 2: Electronegativity Difference

Source: [Link]

Procedure: Complete the table below by determining the electronegativity difference between
the bonded atoms and classify them whether the molecules are polar or nonpolar.

Complete the table below.

No. Bonded Atoms Electronegativity Difference Polar or Nonpolar
Molecules

1. H - O (in H2O)

2. Cl - Cl (in Cl2)

3. N - H (in NH3)

4. C - H (in CH4)

5. H – H (in H2)

6. C–P

7. F – Cl

8. Fe – O
 9. P - Cl

10. I–I

Q1. What is the difference between polar and nonpolar molecules in terms of their
electronegativity difference?

Q2. What is electronegativity?

Prepared by: Noted:

MARK BRYAN B. ALAURIN EMMANUEL A. VIRTUCIO

SST-I, Subject Teacher SST-I, OIC- SHS STEM/ Science
 PHYSICAL SCIENCE
Name: Grade & sec:
Date: _____December 05, 2025___ Score: ____________________

HOMEBASED ACTIVITY # 4
Activity 3: Electronegativity Difference

Procedures:
1. Draw the Lewis structure and describe the molecular geometry of the following
molecules.

2. Determine if a molecule is polar or non-polar given its structure.

Molecular Polar or
Formula Lewis Structure
Geometry Nonpolar

1. NH3

2. CH4

3. PCl5
4. CCl4

5. F2

6. HF

7. O3
 8. NCl3

9. CHN

10. CH2O

Prepared by: Noted:

MARK BRYAN B. ALAURIN EMMANUEL A. VIRTUCIO

SST-I, Subject Teacher SST-I, OIC- SHS STEM/ Science