Physical Science 12

Intermolecular Forces
3rd Quarter
Week 3

Competency:
o Describe the general types of intermolecular forces
o Explain the effect of intermolecular forces on the properties of substances

Disclaimer: This Learning Activity Sheet (LAS) is based from the Self-Learning Modules, Learner’s Materials, Textbooks and Teaching Guides
released by DepEd Central Office. Furthermore, utilization of duly acknowledged external resources is purely of non-profit, for educational
use and constitutes fair use. All Rights Reserved.
 Objectives: At the end of the week, you shall have:
o Define intermolecular forces.
o Identify each type of intermolecular forces.
o Describe the different types of intermolecular forces.
o Relate types of IMFA present to the properties of different substances.

Learner’s Tasks

Lesson Overview
Intermolecular forces
- attractive forces that hold molecules together, and influence their melting and boiling point.
- weaker forces because they result from smaller charges, or partial charges, interacting over
much larger distances. The stronger the intermolecular forces between the molecules of a
liquid, the greater is the energy required to separate the molecules to turn into gas with
à higher boiling point. Decreasing the temperature decreases the kinetic energy of the
particles. Increasing the pressure squeezes them closer together.
- play large roles in determining the physical properties of liquids. Solids have relatively
stronger intermolecular forces than liquids do. The stronger the IMFs in the sample of
molecules, the stronger they interact, which means they stick together more.

_____ _______

BOND : Between
ATOMS INTERMOLECULAR FORCE
:
Between MOLECULES

Types of Intermolecular Forces of Attraction:

1. Dispersion Force (London Force)
The intermolecular attractions resulting from the constant motion of electrons and the creation
of instantaneous dipoles are called Dispersion Force or London Force.
This intermolecular force was named after Fritz London, who first proposed its existence in
1930. Dispersion forces act between all atoms and molecules. But they are the only intermolecular
forces acting among noble–gas atoms and nonpolar molecules. This fact is reflected in the low boiling
points of the noble gases and nonpolar molecular compounds.
London forces are dependent on the motion of electrons, their strength increases with the number of
electrons in the interacting atoms or molecules. In other words, it increases with increasing atomic
mass or molar mass.
It is the weakest of all intermolecular forces, since the bigger the number of electrons, the more it
diffused the electron cloud in the atom or molecule, the greater its polarisability.
Polarisability of the atom or molecule refers to the ease with which the electron distribution can be
distorted.

Disclaimer: This Learning Activity Sheet (LAS) is based from the Self-Learning Modules, Learner’s Materials, Textbooks and Teaching Guides
released by DepEd Central Office. Furthermore, utilization of duly acknowledged external resources is purely of non-profit, for educational
use and constitutes fair use. All Rights Reserved.
 Figure 1. The Dispersion forces of two neighboring molecules

2. Dipole-Dipole Forces (Van Der Waals Attraction)

A dipole is created by equal but opposite charges that are separated by a short distance. This
force of attraction was named after a Dutch Physicist Johannes Dedirek Van der Waals, who in
1873 first postulated these intermolecular forces in developing a theory to account for the properties
of real gases.
The direction of a dipole is from the dipole’s positive pole to its negative pole. A dipole is
represented by an arrow with a head pointing toward the negative pole and a crossed tail situated at
the positive pole. The dipole created by a hydrogen chloride molecule, which has its negative end at
the more electronegative chlorine atom, is indicated as follows.

H --- Cl
Source: Image from www.en.wikipedia.org.

The negative region in one polar molecule attracts the positive region in adjacent molecules,
and so on throughout a liquid or solid. The forces of attraction between polar molecules are known as
dipole-dipole forces. In this force, the larger the dipole moment, the stronger the attraction. A
molecule of water, for example, has two hydrogen-bonded with one oxygen in which the more
electronegative oxygen atom is the negative pole of each bond. Since the molecule is bent, the
polarities of these two bonds combine to make the molecule highly polar as shown in figure 2.

Figure 2. The attraction between hydrogen and oxygen of a water molecule.

3. Hydrogen bonding
Some hydrogen-containing compounds, such as hydrogen fluoride (HF), water (H 2O), and
ammonia (NH3), have usually high boiling points. This is explained by the presence of a particularly
strong type of dipole-dipole force. In compounds containing H-F, H-O, or HN bonds, the large
electronegativity differences between hydrogen and fluorine, oxygen, and nitrogen atoms make the
bonds connecting them highly polar. It is usually represented by dotted lines connecting the hydrogen-
bonded to the unshared electron pair of the electronegative atom to which it is attracted as illustrated
for hydrogen fluoride (HF).

Disclaimer: This Learning Activity Sheet (LAS) is based from the Self-Learning Modules, Learner’s Materials, Textbooks and Teaching Guides
released by DepEd Central Office. Furthermore, utilization of duly acknowledged external resources is purely of non-profit, for educational
use and constitutes fair use. All Rights Reserved.
 Types of Intermolecular Forces and Relatives Strengths:
• Dispersion (London force) Weakest
• Dipole-Dipole
• Hydrogen bonding Strongest

After discussing about the nature of the different types of IMFA, let us now focus on how those
interactions influence certain physical properties of substances. Physical properties such as melting
point, boiling point, vapor pressure, evaporation, viscosity, surface tension and solubility are related
to the strength of attractive forces between molecules.
The table below shows a brief description and trends observed for each property influenced
by IMFA.
Physical
Descriptions Trends
Properties
1. Surface a. Surface tensison is a measure of the a. Liquids that have strong
tension elastic force in the surface of a liquid. intermolecular forces also have high
b. Molecules within a liquid are pulled in surface tensions.
all directions by IMFA. However, b. Because of hydrogen bonding,
molecules on the surface are pulled water has a considerably greater
downward and sideways by other surface tension than other liquids.
molecules but not upward away from the
surface. These intermolecular attractions
thus tend to pull the molecules into the
liquid and cause the surface to tighten
like an elastic film.
c. Surface tension causes small quantities
of liquid to take on spherical shapes in
order to minimize surface area.
d. The needle and the water strider can
float on the surface of water without
breaking through it. The property of
liquid that makes this possible is called
surface tension.
2. Viscosity a. Viscosity is measure of a fluid’s a. The viscosity of a liquid usually
resistance to flow. decreases as temperature increases.
b. It is the “friction” or resitance to motion, b. The stronger the attraction between
that exists between the molecules of a molecules of a liquid, the greater its
liquid when they move past each other. resistance to flow and thus, the
greater its viscosity.
c. The greater the viscosity, the slower
the liquid flows.

Disclaimer: This Learning Activity Sheet (LAS) is based from the Self-Learning Modules, Learner’s Materials, Textbooks and Teaching Guides
released by DepEd Central Office. Furthermore, utilization of duly acknowledged external resources is purely of non-profit, for educational
use and constitutes fair use. All Rights Reserved.
3. Boiling a. The boiling point of a liquid is the
point temperature at which its vapor pressure
equals the pressure surrounding the
liquid.
b. Boiling is a process in which molecules
anywhere in the liquid escape, resulting
in the formation of vapor bubbles within
the liquid.
4. Vapor a. The vapor pressure of a substance is the
pressure pressure exerted by its vapor state.
b. It indicates a liquid’s evaporation rate.
5. Evaporati a. Evaporation is an endothermic process
on where molecules break free from the
liquid phase by absorbing heat from the
surroundings.
b. The heat of vaporization is the energy
required to transform a given quantity of
a substance from a liquid into a gas at a
given pressure.
6. Melting a. The melting point of a substance refers
point to the temperatute at which its solid and
liquid phases coexist in equilibrium.
b. The heat of fusion is the energy required
to melt a solid.
7. Solubility a. Solubility is the ability of a substance
(the solute) to be dissolved in a solvent.
b. It is a measure of the maximum amount
of solute that can be dissolved in a given
amount of solvent at a particular
temperature.
Activity 1. What’s the Word? That’s the word!
What to do: Choose the letter inside the box that best describes the intermolecular forces.
Disclaimer: This Learning Activity Sheet (LAS) is based from the Self-Learning Modules, Learner’s Materials, Textbooks and Teaching Guides
released by DepEd Central Office. Furthermore, utilization of duly acknowledged external resources is purely of non-profit, for educational
use and constitutes fair use. All Rights Reserved.
a. Boiling points increase with
increasing intermolecular forces .
b. Between two molecules of similar
mass, the one with the stronger
IMFA has a higher boiling point.
c. Between two nonpolar molecules of
similar mass, the more longer and
extended molecule will have the
higher boiling point.
d. Between two nonpolar molecules of
different masses, the larger
molecule will have the higher
boiling point.
a. At a constant temperature, vapor
pressure decreases with the
increasing strength of
intermolecular forces.
a. As the IMFA get stronger,
evaporation becomes a slower
process.
b. A liquid with weaker IMFA is more
volatile than liquid with stronger
IMFA.
c. Volatile liquids have low boling
point. Volatile means “easily
evaporates”.
a. The stronger the IMFA, the
melting point will be higher.
a. The stronger the IMFA between
solute molecule and solvent
molecule, the greater the solubility
of the solute in the solvent.
b. The general rule is “like dissolves
like”. Polar molecules are soluble in
polar solvents. Nonpolar molecules
are soluble in nonpolar solvents.
Polar molecules and nonpolar
molecules do not mix.This is the
reason why water, a polar molecule
does not mix with oil which is
nonpolar.
 A. Weak forces
B. Dependent on the motion of electrons
C. Influence the boiling and melting point of a substance
D. Operates between separate molecules
E. Attraction between two polar molecules
F. Forces that hold solids and liquid together

INTERMOLECULAR 1. ______ 2 . _____

FORCES are 3. _______ 4. _____

Activity 2. What is my Attraction?

Directions: Determine which types of intermolecular forces are most prevalent in the following
molecules. Write your answer in the space provided below.

1. Answer: ___________________

2. Answer: ___________________

3. Answer: ___________________

4. Answer: ___________________

5. Answer: ___________________

Activity 3. Tell Me Who Am I?

Directions: Fill in the table below by marking a (√) check whether the following characteristics
represent a Dispersion or London Force, Dipole-Dipole or Van Der Waals, and Hydrogen bonding.

Dispersion Dipole- Hydrogen

(London Dipole Bonding
Characteristics (Van Der
Force)
Waals)

Disclaimer: This Learning Activity Sheet (LAS) is based from the Self-Learning Modules, Learner’s Materials, Textbooks and Teaching Guides
released by DepEd Central Office. Furthermore, utilization of duly acknowledged external resources is purely of non-profit, for educational
use and constitutes fair use. All Rights Reserved.
1. The attraction between two polar molecules,
specifically one molecule having an H bonded
directly to an electronegative atom.
2. The attraction between two polar molecules.
3. The only intermolecular forces acting among
noble–gas atoms and nonpolar molecules.
4. A very strong type of IMF between polar
molecules.
5. These bonds are highly polar due to the large
electronegativity difference.

Guide Question:

Which boils faster water or alcohol? Why? Explain your answer in three (3) sentences only.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Formative Test

Answer the following questions in the answer sheet. Write the letter of the correct answer.
1. What is true about intermolecular forces?
a. They are strong bonds that form between atoms of molecules.
b. Substances can form more than one but one will predominate.
c. They are stronger than the intramolecular forces between atoms.
d. There is a vague relationship between intermolecular forces and bulk properties.
2. Distinguishing characteristic of London dispersion forces
a. There is instantaneous dipole that influences neighboring substances to gain dipoles.
b. There is permanent (-) and (+) ends that participate in electrostatic attractions.
c. The electron cloud of the atoms are evenly distributed around the nucleus.
d. The atoms of two neighbouring molecules participate in give and take of electrons.
3. H-bonding forms when the substances involved are polar and have molecules with
a. H-atoms attached to O, N, F.
b. C-atoms attached to O, N, F.
c. central atoms with O, N, F as attached atoms.
d. unshared pair of electrons in the central atom.
4. The ability of water molecules to move against gravity
a. viscosity
b. temperature
c. surface tension
d. capillary action
5. Substances like heavy syrup and molasses flow slowly than water. The ability of these substances
to resist flow is known as
a. Viscosity
b. Pressure
c. surface tension
d. capillary action

Answer Key

Activity 1 1. A
Note: The answers can be interchanged 2. D

Disclaimer: This Learning Activity Sheet (LAS) is based from the Self-Learning Modules, Learner’s Materials, Textbooks and Teaching Guides
released by DepEd Central Office. Furthermore, utilization of duly acknowledged external resources is purely of non-profit, for educational
use and constitutes fair use. All Rights Reserved.
3. C 1. Hydrogen bonging
4. F 2. Dipole –Dipole
3. Dispersion or London force
Activity 2 4. Hydrogen bonding
5. Hydrogen bonding

Activity 3

References

Raymond, D.E. Ph.D. Modern Chemistry. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The
University of Texas at Austin, TX. Pp. 189 – 193.

Zumdahl, S.S. & S. A. Zumdahl (2012). Chemistry an atoms first approach. United States.
Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning Asia Pte. Ltd. pp. 491 - 495.

Unknown Author. Microsoft World, Accessed on January 11, 2021, Retrieved from;
http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/3082/3156196/blb1102.html

Unknown Author. Microsoft World, Accessed on January 12, 2021, Retrieved from;
https://www.masterorganicchemistry.com/2010/10/01/how-intermolecular- forces- affect-
boiling-points/

Formative Assessment
1. C
2. A
3. A
4. D
5. A

Disclaimer: This Learning Activity Sheet (LAS) is based from the Self-Learning Modules, Learner’s Materials, Textbooks and Teaching Guides
released by DepEd Central Office. Furthermore, utilization of duly acknowledged external resources is purely of non-profit, for educational
use and constitutes fair use. All Rights Reserved.