Explain, in terms of charge distribution, why a molecule of carbon tetrachloride is a nonpolar molecule.

The covalent bond is the chemical bond between atoms where electrons are shared, forming a molecule. Covalent bonds are established between non-metallic elements, such as hydrogen H, oxygen O and chlorine Cl. These elements have many electrons in their outermost level (valence electrons) and have a tendency to gain electrons to acquire the stability of the electronic structure of noble gas.

The covalent bond between two atoms can be polar or nonpolar. If the atoms are equal, the bond will be nonpolar (since no atom attracts electrons more strongly). But, if the atoms are different, the bond will be polarized towards the most electronegative atom, because it will be the atom that attracts the electron pair with more force. Then it will be polar.

It can occur in a molecule that the bonds are polar and the molecule is nonpolar. This occurs because of the geometry of the molecule, which causes them to cancel the different equal polar bonds of the molecule.

In carbon tetrachloride the bonds are polar, but the tetrahedral geometry of the molecule causes all four dipoles to cancel out and the molecule to be apolar.