12. Why is CO slightly polar, but not strongly polar, despite the significant electronegativity difference between carbon and oxygen? (A) The triple bond between carbon and oxygen is highly polar, but the molecule's symmetry reduces the overall polarity. (B) The triple bond in CO eliminates any dipole moment, as it localizes electrons equally between the two atoms. (C) Both carbon and oxygen have formal charges of zero, making the molecule nonpolar despite the electronegativity difference. (D) The electronegativity difference between carbon and oxygen is large, but the formal charge distribution reduces the effective dipole moment. (E) The molecule has a linear geometry, causing the bond dipoles to cancel each other out.