Carbon dioxide CO2 is a nonpolar molecule Is this consistent

Carbon dioxide (CO_2) is a non-polar molecule. Is this consistent with your classification of the C - O bond in #2 above? Why is CO_2 nonpolar?

Solution

In C-O the oxygen is more electronegative than carbon , so the shared electrons are more close to oxygen make it more negative and carbon becomes more positive.The polarity is determined by the difference in electronegativity, since electronegativity of oxygen is more here it makes C-O a polar component.

But in Co2 the two oxygen lies linearly ie O=C=O

Since the two oxygen atoms lies in 180 degree angle their electronegativity cancel each other , doesn\'t make any effect on the electronegativity of carbon, so CO2 becomes non polar in nature.