Carbonyl compounds, which include aldehydes and ketones, are generally polar due to the presence of a polar carbon-oxygen double bond. The electronegativity difference between the carbon and oxygen atoms causes a dipole moment, with the oxygen atom carrying a partial negative charge and the carbon atom bearing a partial positive charge. This polarity allows carbonyl compounds to engage in dipole-dipole interactions and hydrogen bonding with other molecules, influencing their physical properties such as boiling point and solubility.