Why is SO2 polar but SO3 nonpolar?
The question is –
Why is SO2 polar?
Explanation:
The polarity of a molecule depends on the distribution of its charge. In order to determine the polarity of a molecule, it is necessary to consider its shape and the electronegativity of its constituent atoms.
⇒ SO2 is a bent or V-shaped molecule. The sulfur (S) atom is located at the center of the molecule, with two oxygen (O) atoms bonded to it at an angle of around 120 degrees.
⇒ The electronegativity of the oxygen atoms (3.44) is significantly higher than that of the sulfur atom (2.58). This means that the oxygen atoms will have a stronger tendency to attract the electrons in the chemical bonds between the atoms, leading to an uneven distribution of charge within the molecule.
⇒ The result of this uneven distribution of charge is a separation of positive and negative charges within the molecule, which gives rise to a net dipole moment. This indicates that the SO2 molecule is polar.
In summary, the polarity of the SO2 molecule is due to its bent shape and the presence of a significant electronegativity difference between the sulfur and oxygen atoms. The resulting uneven distribution of charge leads to a net dipole moment and makes the overall molecule polar.
Why is SO3 nonpolar?
⇒ Sulfur trioxide (SO3) is a non-polar molecule because it has a symmetrical shape and the polar bonds within the molecule cancel each other out.
⇒ Polar molecules have a positive end and a negative end due to the uneven distribution of electrons within the molecule. This creates a dipole moment, which is a measure of the separation of charge within the molecule.
⇒ Non-polar molecules, on the other hand, do not have a dipole moment because their electrons are evenly distributed and there is no separation of charge.
In the case of SO3, the molecule has a trigonal planar shape, which means that it is symmetrical. This symmetry means that the bond polarities of the three oxygen atoms cancel each other out, resulting in a net dipole moment of zero. As a result, SO3 is an overall non-polar molecule.
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