The carbonyl group of aldehydes and ketones

Structure

Aldehyde: R = hydrocarbon chain, R' = H Ketone : R, R' = hydrocarbon chains The structure is planar.

Bonds and electron pairs

 

Polarity

Due to the electronegativity difference between O and C, the C=O bond is polar:

 

Mesomeric effect

Mesomerism accentuates polarity: