Pronunciation: [ɐpˈə͡ʊlə] (IPA) 
The word "Apolar" is spelled with the letter "A" followed by "polar". The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /eɪˈpəʊlə/. The "A" is pronounced as the diphthong /eɪ/, while the "p" is pronounced as the voiceless bilabial plosive /p/. The "o" is pronounced as the mid back rounded vowel /əʊ/, and the following "l" is pronounced as the lateral approximant /l/. The final "a" is pronounced as the schwa sound /ə/.
Apolar refers to the lack of polarity or the absence of a net dipole moment in a molecule or compound. Polarity is a property of molecules that arises from the unequal distribution of electrons within a molecule, resulting in regions of partial positive and negative charges. In contrast, apolar compounds have a symmetrical electron distribution where the positive and negative charges balance each other out, resulting in a nonpolar molecule.
To understand the concept of apolarity, it is crucial to grasp the role of electronegativity. Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to attract electrons towards itself. In polar molecules, atoms with high electronegativity create an imbalance of electron distribution, causing one end of the molecule to have a slightly negative charge (due to the presence of more electrons) while the other end has a slightly positive charge (lacking electrons). However, in apolar molecules, the electronegativity of the atoms is relatively equal, so the electrons are evenly distributed throughout the molecule, rendering it neutral overall.
Apolarity has important implications in various scientific fields, such as chemistry and biology. In chemistry, it affects intermolecular forces and solubility properties of substances. Apolar compounds typically do not dissolve in polar solvents, but rather in nonpolar solvents like hydrocarbons or oils. In biology, apolarity is relevant in the study of biological membranes, as these barriers are composed mostly of apolar lipids that prevent the passage of polar molecules across the cell membrane.
In summary, the term apolar describes a molecule or compound that lacks polarity and does not have a net dipole moment. It characterizes substances with evenly distributed electrons and has significant consequences in the fields of chemistry and biology.
Having no poles, noting specifically nerve-cells without any apparent processes.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word apolar is derived from the combination of the prefix a- and the word polar. The prefix a- is Greek in origin and serves as a negation or absence of something. In this case, it negates the term polar.
The word polar ultimately comes from the Medieval Latin polaris, meaning at the pole, which is derived from the Latin word polus meaning end of an axis; the celestial pole. The Latin term polus can be traced back to the Ancient Greek word polos, which has a similar meaning. So, the term apolar literally means not polar or lacking polarity.
