Is Xenon Tetrafluoride A Polar Or Nonpolar Molecule?
Xenon tetrafluoride (XeF4) is a polar molecule. Although the individual Xe-F bonds are nonpolar due to the similar electronegativity values of xenon and fluorine, the four bonds arrange themselves in a square planar geometry around the central xenon atom. This results in an unequal distribution of charge around the molecule, with a partial positive charge on the xenon atom and partial negative charges on the fluorine atoms. As a result, XeF4 has a net dipole moment and is considered a polar molecule.