Final answer:
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a nonpolar molecule due to the cancellation of dipole moments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a linear molecule with carbon in the center and two oxygens at the terminal ends. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a nonpolar molecule due to the cancellation of dipole moments. The oxygen atoms are more electronegative than the carbon atom, so there are two individual dipoles pointing outward from the C atom to each O atom.
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a nonpolar molecule due to the cancellation of dipole moments. However, since the dipoles are of equal strength and pointing in opposite directions, they cancel out and the overall molecular polarity of CO₂ is zero (no net dipole), therefore CO₂ is a nonpolar molecule.