1. adj. [Drilling Fluids]
In chemistry, referring to a compound in which electrons are not shared equally in the chemical bond, resulting in partial electrical charges. The best example is water, H2O, where the oxygen atom "pulls" the electrons more strongly than the hydrogen atoms and has a partial negative charge. The hydrogen atoms thus carry a partial positive charge. Polar compounds may ionize partially when dissolved in water.
See related terms: cation, sulfonated asphalt, vinyl acetate-maleic anhydride copolymer
