Eipolaarinen

Eipolaarinen is a Finnish adjective used primarily in chemistry to describe substances or molecules that lack a permanent electric dipole moment. The term is formed from ei- meaning “not” and polaarinen meaning “polar.” In practice, eipolaarinen is often encountered in the same discussions as epäpolaarinen or ei-polaarinen, which are alternative spellings or stylistic variants used in Finnish texts.

In chemistry, nonpolar (eipolaarinen) molecules have a symmetric distribution of electron density, or they contain bonds with only very small differences in electronegativity. As a result, their overall dipole moment is near zero. Intermolecular forces in such substances are dominated by London dispersion forces rather than dipole–dipole interactions or hydrogen bonding. This influences properties such as solubility, boiling and melting points, and miscibility with solvents.

Common examples of eipolaarinen substances include methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), and hexane (C6H14), as well as carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). These substances typically dissolve in nonpolar solvents like hexane or benzene and show limited solubility in polar solvents such as water. In broader discussions, the concept of nonpolarity is sometimes contrasted with polarity to explain solubility behavior, reactivity, and phase behavior in mixtures and biological systems where hydrophobic interactions play a role.

Notes on usage: while eipolaarinen is understood in Finnish scientific writing, some sources prefer epäpolaarinen or hyphenated ei-polaarinen, reflecting stylistic or editorial guidelines.