POLARITY OF A MOLECULE

TO ITS PROPERTIES
Solubility is defined as the ability of a solid substance to
be dissolved in a given amount of solvent while
miscibility is the ability of the two liquids to combine or
mix in all proportions, creating a homogenous mixture.
The general rule to remember about the solubility and
miscibility of molecular compounds can be summarized
in a phrase, “like dissolves like” or “like mixes with like”.
Example:
benzene (C6H6) and chloroform (CHCl3) – both nonpolar

water (H2O) and vinegar (CH3COOH) – both polar

Intramolecular forces of attraction- the attractive force within the molecule that
keep the molecule together for example, the bonds between the atoms together.
Example: Covalent bond in H20 and polar Ionic bond in NaCl
Intermolecular forces of attraction (IMFA)- are the attractions between molecules
which many of the physical properties of a substance.

There are several types of IMFA and below they are arranged from STRONGEST to
WEAKEST.
Ion-dipole → H-bonding→ dipole-dipole→dipole-induced dipole→
London forces of attraction
The strength of IMFA greatly affects the physical properties of substances such as
boiling point, melting point, vapor pressure, surface tension, etc.
Both are
polar
molecule
 Table 2. General Properties of polar and nonpolar molecules
Polar molecules Nonpolar molecules
• IMFA type: H-bonding • IMFA type: London
and dipole-dipole dispersion
• exist as solids or liquids at • exist as gases at room
room temperature temperature
• High boiling point • Low boiling point
• High melting point • Low melting point
• High surface tension • Low surface tension
• Low vapor pressure • High vapor pressure
• Low volatility • High volatility
• Soluble in water • Insoluble in water
 TABLE 1. SUMMARY OF TYPES OF INTERMOLECULAR
FORCES OF ATTRACTION (IMFA)
Type of IMFA Interacting Substances Examples

Ion-dipole Ion (cation or anion) and a NaCl dissolved in H2O; Ca2+

polar molecule and PCl3

Hydrogen bonding Polar molecules containing H H2O, NH3, CH3OH

chemically bonded to a small and
highly electronegative
nonmetal atom such as N,
O, and F
Dipole –dipole Polar molecules CH3F and H2S; HCl;

Dipole-induced dipole Polar and nonpolar molecules HI and CH4

London forces All substances and solely for O2, N2, He gas, Br2
nonpolar molecules and noble
gases
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF
SUBSTANCES:
Boiling point: temperature at which the vapor pressure and atmospheric
pressure of a liquid substance are equal.
Melting point: temperature at which solid becomes liquid. At this point, the
solid and liquid phases exist in equilibrium.
Surface tension: energy needed to increase the surface area by a unit amount;
Viscosity: the resistance of the liquid to flow
Vapor pressure: pressure exerted by a substance in its gaseous state.
Volatility: measures the rate at which a substance vaporizes (changes from
liquid to gas)
Polarity is a physical property of compounds which
relates other physical properties such as melting
and boiling points, solubility, and intermolecular
interactions between molecules.
In a few cases, a molecule may have polar bonds,
but in a symmetrical arrangement which then
gives rise to a non-polar molecule like carbon
dioxide. (3.5-2.5= 1.0)
In the simplest sense, boiling point, melting point,
viscosity and surface tension increase as the strength of
intermolecular forces increases. On the other hand, vapor
pressure and volatility decrease with increasing strength
of IMFA. London dispersion forces increase as the
molecular mass of a substance increases.
Polar molecules are asymmetric,
either containing lone pairs of
electrons on a central atom or having
atoms with different electro
negativities bonded.
 PROPERTIES DUE TO POLARITY
Polarity is a separation of electric charge leading to a molecule or its
chemical groups having an electric dipole moment, with a negative and
positive charged end.
Molecular polarity controls or determines the strength and types of
intermolecular forces of attraction between molecules.
The easiest properties to understand regarding polarity is melting and
boiling points. The more polar a molecule is, the greater its attraction to
other molecules like it. This means that they will stick or attract together
tightly even if given a lot of energy. Ionic molecules are generally solid at
room temperature. As a matter of fact, it can take a lot of energy to melt
many of them (>1000°F). Example is NaCl.
-Polar molecules like water are liquid at room temperature.
They have a strong attraction to each other, but not as strong as
ions. Molecules that are nonpolar do not have the attraction.
The only thing that keeps them together is their size.
-Larger nonpolar molecules like gasoline can be a liquid at
room temperatures but become a gas very easily. Most small.
nonpolar molecules (CH4) are gases for a very long period of
time. N2 becomes a liquid at -196°C (-320°F).
-the more polar the molecule and the greater its solubility in
polar solvents like water and the higher its expected boiling and
melting points.
Polar molecules interact through dipole–
dipole intermolecular forces and
hydrogen bonds. Polarity causes a number
of physical properties including
surface tension, solubility, and melting
and boiling points.
Gasoline is a non-polar and more soluble in nonpolar solvents like hexane
and it will have relatively low boiling and melting points.

The polarity of a molecule has a strong effect on its physical properties.

Molecules which are more polar have stronger intermolecular forces
between them and have higher boiling points as well as other different
physical properties.
Polarity refers to the physical properties of compounds such as boiling
point, melting points, surface tension and their solubility. The polarity of
bonds is caused due to the interaction of the bonds between molecules and
atoms with different electro negativities.
The Non-polar molecules aren't attracted to each other as much as in
polar molecules, these molecules are much less likely to have high
surface tension.
WHAT DO WE CALL
COMPOUNDS THAT ARE
COVALENT? MOLECULES
PROPERTIES OF MOLECULES
Covalent Bonds-
All molecules are composed of Non Metals, with some
Organic molecules having slight traces of metals. Ionic
compounds always have metal elements.
PROPERTIES OF MOLECULES
Covalent bonds-
PROPERTIES OF MOLECULES/
COVALENT BONDS
PROPERTIES OF MOLECULE
Q1. How does polarity affect physical properties?
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Q2. Explain why nonpolar molecules usually have much lower surface tension than polar ones.
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Q3. Briefly explain why water is considered as the universal solvent.

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Q4. How can you determine if the polarity (polar and nonpolar molecule) is symmetric or asymmetric?
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•Using the concept of IMFA, account for the difference in boiling
point and melting point of the following molecular substances:

Boiling point Melting point

Substance
(0C) (0C)
Helium gas, He -269 -272
Methane, CH4 -162 -184
H2O 100 0
Ethanol,
78 -117
C2H5OH
 Direction: Label each of the following as polar or nonpolar molecule and explain why.

Sample Molecules Polarity Explanation

1. Propane, C3H8

2. Water, H2O

3. Methanol, CH3OH

4. Oxygen, O2

5. Hydrogen cyanide,
HCN