In carbon dioxide CO2 , the molecule is linear with carbon in the center and oxygen atoms on both sides. The carbon-oxygen bond is polar due to the difference in electronegativity between carbon 2.55 and oxygen 3.44 . Oxygen is more electronegative, so it attracts the electrons in the bond more than carbon does, creating a dipole moment.However, due to the linear geometry of the CO2 molecule, the two polar bonds are symmetrical and directly oppose each other. This results in the overall cancellation of the dipole moments, making the CO2 molecule nonpolar. So, while the individual carbon-oxygen bonds are polar, the CO2 molecule as a whole is nonpolar.