LESSON 2: Kinetic Molecular Models of Liquids and Solids

Kinetic Molecular Theory

OBJECTIVES:
Use the kinetic molecular model to explain the properties of liquids and solids

Describe and differentiate the types of intermolecular forces

 
 

 
Intermolecular Forces
occur between neighboring molecules as a result of partial charges or between
ions and molecules
usually called van der Waals forces, named after the Dutch scientist, Johannes
van der Waal (1037-1923)

Types:

Ion-Dipole Forces

results when an ion and the partial charge found at the end of a polar molecule
attract each other
polar molecules dipoles, that is, they have a positive and a negative end
positive ions are attracted to the negative ends of a dipole, while the negative
ions are attracted to the positive end
are particularly important in solutions of ionic substances, such as NaCl, in polar
liquids like water.

Dipole-Dipole Forces

Neutral polar molecules experience dipole-dipole forces.

Polar molecules attract each other when the positive end of one molecule is near
the negative end of another.
is generally weaker than ion-dipole force
The strength of a given dipole-dipole interaction depends on the sizes of the
dipole moments involved.
The more polar the substance, the stronger its dipole-dipole interaction.
London Dispersion Forces

This attraction was explained in 1930 by Fritz London (1900-1954), a German-

American physicist.
Instantaneous dipole exerts an influence on nearby particles. It causes the
distortion of the electron cloud of neighboring molecules. As a result, the
neighboring molecules also becomes dipole.
They are called induced dipoles because they are caused by the formation of
the first dipole.
They are short-lived attractions because electrons keep on moving which causes
the dipole to vanish as quickly as they are formed.
The ease with which a dipole can be induced is called polarizability.

Polarizability increases with increased molecular mass.

In large molecules, the electrons are less firmly held and are therefore easier to
be polarized.
 As polarization and London dispersion forces increase, the boiling point and
melting points of covalent substances generally increase with increasing
molecular mass.
The strength of instantaneous and induced dipoles also depends on molecular
shape.
Molecules with small and compact structures are more difficult to polarize than
molecules with elongated structures.
Between C2H6 and C5H12, that with the longer chain has the higher boiling point.

The boiling point of C2H6 is 184.4 K while C5H12 is 309 K, both at 1 atm.

Dispersion force occur between all molecules whether they are polar or
nonpolar.
They add to the effect of dipole-dipole forces and to hydrogen bond.

Hydrogen Bond

which play an important role in life processes. Can easily be formed, broken, and
reformed.
occurs in water, DNA molecules, and proteins
is an attractive interaction between a hydrogen atom bonded to an
electronegative F, O, or N atom and an unshared electron pair of another nearby
electronegative atom
example: water (H2O), ammonia (NH3), and hydrofluoric acid (HF)
is a special type of dipole-dipole interactions.
Bonds between hydrogen and nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine are highly polar with
a partial positive charge on the hydrogen and a partial negative charge on the
electronegative atom.
In addition, the hydrogen atom has no inner core electrons and almost a bare
proton.
 Thus, this small electron deficient hydrogen can approach an electronegative
atom very closely and interact strongly with it.
One of the consequences of hydrogen bond in hydrogen compounds is the
increase in boiling point with increasing molecular weight due to increased
dispersion forces.
 

Practice exercises. Identify the dominant intermolecular forces for the following
substances. Select the substance with the higher boiling point in each pair. Try this
on a scrap paper and check your answers. The answers are on the next page.
 

1. Ne and Ar
2. CH3OH and CH3CH2OH
3. HF and CH3F
4. BaCl2 and PCl3
Intermolecular Forces: Answers to
Practice Exercises
Answers

1. Both atoms are nonpolar but Ar has a higher molar mass (39.95) than Ne
(20.18). Bigger atoms or molecules have greater dispersion forces, so Ar has a
higher boiling point. The boiling point of Ar is 87.5 K while that of Ne is 27.3 K.
2. Both are polar molecules and therefore, both exhibit dipole-dipole interactions.
Both have an O-Bond, so they can form H-bonds. However, CH3CH2OH has an
additional –Ch2-group and thus, greater molar mass which corresponds to
stronger London dispersion forces. Therefore, it has a higher boiling point.
3. Both are polar molecules, so they both have dipole-dipole forces. HF has H-F
bonds that can form H-bond. Therefore, HF has higher boiling point. (Boiling
point of HF = 293 K, CH3F = 195 K).
4. BaCl2 consists of Ba2+ and Cl- ions held by ionic bonds PCl3 consists of polar
molecules, so intermolecular dipole-dipole interactions are present. The forces in
BaCl2 are stronger, so it has a higher boiling point (boiling point of BaCl2 = 1813
K, PCl3 = 349 K).