What causes dipole moment?

1 Answer
Callum S.
Nov 15, 2015

The movement of charge.

Explanation:

Dipoles are caused when the positive and negative charges in an atom move to opposite ends. This means that at one end of the atom or molecule, there is a higher concentration of positive charge, and at the other end, there is a higher concentration of negative charge.

An example of a molecule with a dipole moment is water, or #H_2O#. The positive charges are on the hydrogen atoms, anf denoted by the symbol #delta^+#, and the negative charge is on the oxygen atom, #O_2#, and denoted by the symbol #delta^(2-)#, because the oxygen atom has a charge of -2.

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