The Bare Essentials of
Polarity
Answer Key
1. How does the comic book define a “polar
molecule?”
A molecule with a difference in electrical charge
between two ends.
2. Define electronegativity as you understand it,
after reading the first two pages of the comic
book.
Electronegativity (EN) is the ability of an
atom/nucleus to attract bonding electrons toward
itself.
3. Interpret the picture at the bottom of page 1. Explain
how the iceberg, penguins, and polar bears represent
trends in electronegativity.
Iceberg = periodic table
Polar bears = more electronegative atoms (the
larger the polar bears, the more electronegative)
Penguins = less electronegative atoms (the
smaller the penguins, the less electronegative)
4. What is the artist trying to represent when there are
two polar bears arm wrestling together, or two penguins
arm wrestling together?
They are equal in EN, so they pull electrons
equally and neither one will have more electrons
than the other one.
5. a) What three types of bonds are represented
on page 3 of the comic book?
1) Nonpolar covalent
2) Polar covalent
3) Ionic
5. b) What happens to the bonding electrons in
each type of bond?
1) Nonpolar covalent – electrons (ice cream cones)
are shared equally
2) Polar covalent – the more electronegative
atom(polar bear) hogs more electrons (ice cream)
than the less electronegative atom (penguins)
3) Ionic – the more electronegative atom (polar bear)
completely steals the electrons (ice cream) and the
less electronegative atom (penguin) does not get
any.
6. Explain why there are four scoops of ice cream
in the illustration of O2 on page 3.
Each scoop means one electron. Since oxygen
atoms share a double bond, they share a total of
four electrons (ice cream scoops)
7. What do the six scoops of ice cream represent
in the illustration of N2 on page 4?
Each scoop means one electron. Since nitrogen
atoms share a triple bond, they share a total of six
electrons (ice cream scoops)
8. Describe what you think is happening to the
penguin in the CO2 molecule in the picture on
page 4.
The two oxygen atoms (polar bears) are more
electronegative and hog the electrons (ice
cream), but the carbon atom (penguin) is sharing
with both, so it gets a fair share of electrons (ice
cream)
9. Name three things that the picture of CO2 on
page 4 illustrates about the molecule.
1. Atoms in the molecule
2. Relative EN of each atom
3. Number of bonds (electrons) between each
atom
10. Describe what you think is happening to the
penguins in the illustration of H2O on page 4.
They don’t get an equal share of electrons (ice
cream)
11. Explain what you think the crossed arrow
represents in the comic book. ↦
• Arrow = the direction the electrons (ice cream)
are being pulled
• Cross = a slightly positive charge on that side of
the bond
12. What are the three definitions of “dipole”
given in the comic book?
1) The polarity of an individual polar bond
between atoms
2) The net polarity of a polar molecule that may
have several polar covalent bonds within it
3) The polar molecule itself