What is a net dipole?

A net dipole refers to the overall dipole moment of a molecule or a system of charges. In simpler terms, it's a measure of the overall polarity of a molecule.

A dipole moment occurs when there is an unequal distribution of electron density within a molecule, leading to a separation of positive and negative charges. If these individual dipoles within a molecule don't cancel each other out, the molecule has a net dipole moment, meaning it has an overall polarity.

For instance, in a water molecule (H2O), the oxygen atom has a higher electronegativity than the hydrogen atoms, so the electrons tend to spend more time around the oxygen atom, creating a partial negative charge (δ-) on the oxygen and partial positive charges (δ+) on the hydrogen atoms. These partial charges create a net dipole moment, giving the molecule an overall polarity.