10 EXAMPLES OF NONPOLAR COVALENT BONDS - CHEMISTRY - 2025

The examples of non - polar covalent bonds include carbon dioxide, ethane and to hydrogen. Covalent bonds are a type of bond that forms between atoms, filling their last valence shell and forming highly stable bonds.

In a covalent bond it is necessary that the electronegativity between the nature of the atoms is not very great, since if this occurs, an ionic bond will be formed.

Due to this, covalent bonds occur between atoms with a non-metallic nature, since a metal with a non-metal will have a remarkably large electrical difference and an ionic bond would occur.

Types of covalent bonds

It had been said that it is necessary that there is not a significant electronegativity between one atom and another, but there are atoms that have a slight charge and that changes the way in which the bonds are distributed.

Covalent bonds can be divided into two types: polar and nonpolar.

Polar

Polar bonds refer to those molecules whose charge is distributed in two poles, positive and negative.

Nonpolar

Nonpolar bonds are those in which the molecules have their charges distributed in the same way; that is, two equal atoms are joined, with the same electronegativity. This implies that the dielectric moment is equal to zero.

The 10 examples of nonpolar covalent bonds

1- Ethane

In general, single bonds in hydrocarbons are the best example to represent nonpolar covalent bonds.

Its structure is formed by two carbon atoms with three hydrogens accompanied in each one.

Carbon has a covalent bond with the other carbon. Due to the lack of electronegativity between them, a nonpolar bond results.

2- Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the most abundant gases on Earth due to human production.

This is structurally conformed with a carbon atom in the middle and two oxygen atoms on the sides; each makes a double bond with the carbon atom.

The distribution of loads and weights is the same, so a linear arrangement is formed and the moment of loads is equal to zero.

3- Hydrogen

Hydrogen in its gas form is found in nature as a bond between two hydrogen atoms.

Hydrogen is the exception to the octet rule because of its atomic mass, which is the lowest. The bond is formed only in the form: HH.

4- Ethylene

Ethylene is a hydrocarbon similar to ethane, but instead of having three hydrogens attached to each carbon, it has two.

To fill the valence electrons, a double bond is formed between each carbon. Ethylene has different industrial applications, mainly in automotive.

5- Toluene

Toluene is composed of an aromatic ring and a CH3 chain.

Although the ring represents a very large mass with respect to the CH3 chain, a nonpolar covalent bond is formed due to the lack of electronegativity.

6- Carbon tetrachloride

Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is a molecule with one carbon atom in the center and four chlorine in each direction of space.

Despite the fact that chlorine is a highly negative compound, being in all directions makes the dipole moment equal to zero, making it a nonpolar compound.

7- Isobutane

Isobutane is a hydrocarbon that is highly branched, but due to the electronic configuration in the carbon bonds, a non-polar bond is present.

8- Hexane

Hexane is a geometric arrangement in the shape of a hexagon. It has carbon and hydrogen bonds and its dipole moment is zero.

9- Cyclopentane

Like hexane, it is a geometric arrangement in the shape of a pentagon, it is closed and its dipole moment is equal to zero.

10- Nitrogen

Nitrogen is one of the most abundant compounds in the atmosphere, with approximately 70% composition in the air.

It occurs in the form of a nitrogen molecule with another equal, forming a covalent bond, which, having the same charge, is nonpolar.

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