Is air polar or non polar?

Air, as a mixture of gases, does not have a single polarity. Its behavior depends on the polarity of its individual components. Here’s a breakdown:

• Major components of air:
  1. Nitrogen (N₂) – Makes up ~78% of air and is nonpolar because the N-N bond is between identical atoms, resulting in no permanent dipole.
  2. Oxygen (O₂) – Constitutes ~21% of air and is nonpolar for the same reason as nitrogen.
  3. Argon (Ar) – Makes up ~0.93% of air and is a noble gas, meaning it is nonpolar.
  4. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) – A smaller component (~0.04%) and is nonpolar despite having polar bonds because its linear geometry cancels out the dipoles.
• Trace polar gases:
  • Water vapor (H₂O) – Polar, but its concentration varies and is much lower than the major gases.

In summary, air is predominantly nonpolar due to the dominance of nitrogen, oxygen, and argon, which are all nonpolar.