Question

Why is carbon dioxide a nonpolar molecule, even though the \[C-O\] bonds are polar?

Answer 1

Hint :The type of chemical bonds formed between the atoms of the elements can be used to predict whether a molecule will be polar or nonpolar. If the electronegativity values of the atoms differ significantly, the electrons will not be shared equally between the atoms.

Complete Step By Step Answer:
Polar covalent bonds are covalent bonds formed between two non-identical atoms. Because the two atoms differ in their ability to attract the shared electron pair, unequal electron sharing occurs. Because of the unequal distribution of electrons, the bonded atoms develop fractional positive and negative charges, and the bond is said to be polar.
Since there's no charge separation in a nonpolar molecule, no positive or negative poles form. In other words, the electrical charges of nonpolar molecules are distributed evenly throughout the molecule. Nonpolar molecules dissolve well in nonpolar solvents, which are often organic solvents.
A polar molecule has a positive electrical charge on one side and a negative electrical charge on the other. Polar molecules dissolve readily in water and other polar solvents.
Carbon dioxide, also known as \[C{{O}_{2}}\]is a nonpolar gas with the chemical formula \[C{{O}_{2}}\]. It has two polar bonds that are symmetrically arranged. Each oxygen atom forms a double bond with carbon. Because carbon and oxygen have different electronegativities, electrons are not equally shared between the two atoms. However, because \[C{{O}_{2}}\] has a linear geometry, the two bond dipole moments cancel and there is no net molecular dipole moment.
Thus, carbon dioxide is a nonpolar molecule even though the \[C-O\] bonds are polar.

Note :
Considering the molecule's point group simplifies predicting polarity. In general, a molecule is nonpolar if its dipole moments cancel each other out. The molecule is polar if the dipole moments do not cancel out. A dipole moment does not exist in every molecule.