Gen chem question

[KHANSAHAAB]

Is a molecule who's shape is trigonal planar polar?

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[dat_student]

Is a molecule who's shape is trigonal planar polar?

yes it is a molecule... 😉

 

[KHANSAHAAB]

not sure if you understood the question...

I'm asking if a molecule's shape is trigonal planar, is it polar? I ask this because a tetrahedral molecule is always non polar.

 

[dat_student]

not sure if you understood the question...

I'm asking if a molecule's shape is trigonal planar, is it polar? I ask this because a tetrahedral molecule is always non polar.

Your original question was a bit vague.

It depends. Tetrahedral molecule is NOT always non-polar. 😉

Here is a polar tetrahedal

.....Cl
.....|
H - C-H
.....|
.....H

 

[DinoDentist]

Your original question was a bit vague.

It depends. Tetrahedral molecule is NOT always non-polar. 😉

Here is a polar tetrahedal

.....Cl
.....|
H - C-H
.....|
.....H

Yeah. It all depends on which elements are present.

 

[joonkimdds]

if i remember it right... it's polar when the shape is non-symmetrical
and non-polar if it's symmetrical.
.....Cl
.....|
H - C-H
.....|
.....H

i think above example is not symmestrical becuz there is Cl instead of H.
if it was H, then it would be symmetrial thus non-polar.
but it's not symmestrical so it's polar.

 

[smildoc2]

It depends on what the central atom is attached to, as stated in examples above. CH3Cl is polar but CCl4 is not, because even though Chlorine is electronegative and hoardes electron density, it pulls it in equal and opposite directions, not a particular direction in 3D space.

There is also trigonal pyramidal, which may or may not be confusing you, as in the case of NH3, which has a lone pair.