Polarity

• covalent bonds with a large difference in electronegativity between atoms causes the electron pair to shift towards the more electronegative element, creating a dipole
• symmetrical molecules will not be dipoles as the bond dipoles cancel each other out
• polar molecules occur if the bond dipoles can't cancel out, thus giving the overall molecule a dipole
• polar substances can easily dissolve into polar solvents as they can easily produce permanent dipole-dipole interactions