Why is NH3 (ammonia) polar?

Wayne Breslyn (Dr. B.) Video 1 years ago

विवरण

We’ll use the Lewis structure and the PhET molecular model builder to figure out why ammonia (NH₃) is a polar molecule. First, we draw the structure and spot that lone pair on nitrogen. That lone pair pushes the hydrogen atoms down, giving NH₃ a bent, asymmetrical shape.

Since nitrogen is more electronegative than hydrogen, it pulls electrons toward itself—so we get a partial negative charge on nitrogen and partial positives on the hydrogens. That gives us poles, and that means ammonia is polar.

Try building the molecule yourself with this PhET simulation:
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/molecule-shapes/latest/molecule-shapes_en.html