Cl2, or chlorine gas, is a diatomic molecule consisting of two chlorine atoms. To determine whether it is polar or nonpolar, we need to consider its molecular structure and the nature of the bonds involved.
The two chlorine atoms in Cl2 are identical, which means that they have the same electronegativity. This equal sharing of electrons results in a nonpolar bond, as there is no significant charge separation within the molecule.
Furthermore, since Cl2 is a linear molecule, and the bond dipoles (if they existed) would cancel each other out, the overall molecular dipole moment is zero. Thus, Cl2 is concluded to be a nonpolar molecule.
In summary, Cl2 is nonpolar due to the equal sharing of electrons between the two identical chlorine atoms, leading to no charge separation within the molecule.