Question

Why is benzene nonpolar?

Answer 1

Benzene is nonpolar because it is a symmetrical molecule in which all the bond dipoles cancel.

Explanation:

The structure of benzene is

It is a flat molecule with the shape of a regular hexagon.

We could say that benzene is nonpolar because it is a hydrocarbon that contains only `"C-C"` and `"C-H"` bonds, and hydrocarbons are nonpolar.

But `"C"` is slightly more electronegative than `"H"` (by 0.35 units), so a `"C-H"` bond is very slightly polar and has a small dipole moment.

However, each `"C-H"` bond has a partner that points in exactly the opposite direction.

The bond dipoles cancel exactly, so benzene has a zero dipole moment.

This makes benzene a nonpolar molecule.