Physical Science

Grade 11/12 • Unit 4 : Intermolecular Forces of Attraction

LESSON 4.1
Types of Intermolecular Forces of Attraction
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Learning Competency 2

Learning Objectives 2

Warm-Up 2

Learn about It 4
Intermolecular Forces of Attraction 4
London Dispersion Forces (LDFs) 4
Dipole-Dipole Forces 6
Ion-Dipole Forces 7
Hydrogen Bonding 8

Examples 11

Key Points 12

Check Your Understanding 13

Bibliography 15

Answer to Let’s Practice 15

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Intermolecular Forces of Attraction

Lesson 4.1
Types of Intermolecular Forces
of Attraction

Water strider walking on the surface of the water

Introduction
Have you ever seen insects walking on the surface of the water? In nature, there are
attractive and repulsive forces. Some of these attractive forces also exist among very small
particles of matter. These enable small insects, like the water strider in the photo above, to
walk on water.

These attractive forces are also responsible for other phenomena such as the round shape
of a water droplet or the physical states of substances at room temperature. Without these
attractive forces, water may not exist as a liquid at 25 °C or boil at 100 °C. Can you imagine

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Intermolecular Forces of Attraction

what will happen if water is a gas at room temperature? The importance of these attractive
forces is that there is a need for us to understand them and learn how they affect the things
around us.

You know that the attraction of negatively charged electrons with the positively-charged
nucleus facilitates the formation of chemical bonds. Do attractive forces also exist
among molecules?

Learning Competency
At the end of this lesson, the given DepEd learning competency should be met
by the students.
● Describe the general types of intermolecular forces (S11/12PS-IIIc-d-17).

Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Describe the common types of intermolecular forces of attraction.
● Differentiate the common types of intermolecular forces of attraction.

Warm-Up

Comparing Boiling and Melting Points

The attractive forces that exist between molecules can be similarly thought of as the
forces you have discussed in the kinetic molecular theory of matter. This simple activity
will introduce you to these attractive forces.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Intermolecular Forces of Attraction

Materials
● pen
● paper
Procedure
1. Study the following table and answer the guide questions that follow.

Compound Boiling Point (°C) Melting Point (°C)

H2O 100 0

N2O -88.48 -90.86

CO 2 -78.45 (sublimes) -78.45 (sublimes)

SO 2 -10 75.50

Guide Questions
1. Compare the boiling and melting points of H2O and N2O. Which has a higher

boiling and melting point?

_________________________________________________________________________________

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2. How is this trend related to the attraction between molecules of H2O and N2O?
_________________________________________________________________________________

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 4: Intermolecular Forces of Attraction

3. Compare the boiling and melting points of CO 2 and SO 2. Which has a higher
boiling and melting point?
_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

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4. How is this trend related to the attraction between molecules of CO 2 and SO 2?

_________________________________________________________________________________

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Learn about It

Intermolecular Forces of Attraction

Essential Question
What are the attractive forces that exist between molecules?

Intermolecular forces are attractive forces present between molecules. Although there
are many, four types of intermolecular forces of attraction (IMFA) are most commonly
observed. These are London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole forces, ion-dipole forces, and
hydrogen bonding forces. The first two are collectively known as van der Waals forces of
attraction, named after the Dutch scientist Johannes van der Waals.

London Dispersion Forces (LDFs)

These are the weakest type of IMFA and are present between all electrically neutral
molecules―polar and nonpolar molecules. This IMFA was named after the
German-American physicist Fritz London who proposed the origin of these intermolecular
attractions.

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LDFs are caused by fluctuations in the electron distribution within atoms or molecules. This
happens when an atom, which is usually nonpolar, becomes polar due to the continuous
motion of its electrons, resulting in a temporary dipole. In this case, one end of the
molecule can temporarily have a partial negative charge, while another end can temporarily
have a partial positive charge. Partial charges are symbolized by the lowercase delta (ẟ)
followed by a plus (+) sign for partial positive or a minus (-) sign for partial negative. This
temporary dipole can cause a neighboring atom to be distorted and attract its nucleus to
the first atom's negative end.

Fig. 1. A temporary dipole induces instantaneous dipoles to neighbor molecules.

Another example can be observed in nonpolar molecules such as O 2, with no positive or

negative ends. Because the electrons of these molecules are constantly moving, there are
times when electrons move to one end, making such an end partially negative while the
other end becomes partially positive. Hence, the molecule can have an instantaneous
dipole. The temporary dipole of a molecule induces instantaneous dipoles to neighbor
molecules.

Fig. 2 . Instantaneous dipole of O 2

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When more electrons are present in a molecule, the stronger the LDFs are. This is because
larger molecules are more polarizable. Polarizability is the measure of how easy it is to
distort the electron distribution of a molecule. In large molecules, the electrons are less
tightly held by the attraction with the nucleus, so they can form temporary dipoles easier.
Polarizability can be related to how easy one can squeeze a balloon: the larger the balloon
is, the more squeezable it is, and the stronger is its LDF.

This explains why nonpolar substances such as halogens and noble gases freeze into solids
and condense into liquids at a sufficiently lowered temperature. LDF also explains why,
generally, liquids made up of molecules with no permanent dipole attraction have lower
boiling points. For example, bromine, Br2, bears more electrons than chlorine, Cl2, which
means Br2 has stronger London dispersion forces than Cl2. The strength of LDF affects their
boiling points. Thus, Br2 has a boiling point of 59°C compared to Cl2, with a lower boiling
point of –35 °C.

Dipole-Dipole Forces
These are attractive forces that are a moderately strong type of IMFA and are present in
between polar molecules. Dipole-dipole forces are the result of the electrostatic
interactions among dipoles on neighboring molecules. This means that the partially positive
end of one molecule interacts with the partially negative end of a neighboring molecule.

Fig. 3. HCl molecule with partially positive and partially negative ends

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For example, HCl is a polar molecule. It has partially positive and partially negative ends.
The dipole-dipole force exists between the partially positive end of one HCl molecule and
the partially negative end of another HCl molecule.

Fig. 4. Molecules with partially positive ends attracted to the partially negative ends of other
molecules

Ion-Dipole Forces
This results from the electrostatic attraction between a molecule containing a dipole and an
ion. The strength of this kind of IMFA increases as the charge of the ion increases. It is often
observed in solutions such as brine (NaCl in water). When NaCl dissolves in water, it exists
as Na+ and Cl– . The cation Na+ is attracted to the partially negative O atom of water, while
the anion Cl– is attracted to the partially positive H atom of water.

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Fig. 5. The cation is attracted to the partial negative end of the molecule, while the anion is
attracted to the partially positive end of the molecule.

Hydrogen Bonding
It is a special kind of dipole-dipole force and one of the strongest types of IMFA. Hydrogen
bonding is an attractive force that exists when hydrogen is bonded to F, O, or N. In such
cases, the partially positive hydrogen of one molecule interacts with the partially negative F,
O, or N atoms in another molecule. This relatively strong attraction explains why molecules
with this type of IMFA tend to have high boiling and melting points.

Many unusual properties of water are attributed to hydrogen bonding. Consider the water
molecule H2O. The hydrogen of one molecule is attracted to the oxygen atom of another
molecule.

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Fig. 6. Hydrogen atom of H2O molecule interacting with the oxygen atom of another H2O
molecule

Some molecules may also interact with water even though they cannot form hydrogen
bonds themselves. Take the case of formaldehyde and water. Formaldehyde does not
exhibit hydrogen bonding on its own. However, in the presence of water, the O atom of
formaldehyde can form hydrogen bonds with the H atoms of water. Formaldehyde
becomes a hydrogen bond acceptor, while water is the hydrogen bond donor. A hydrogen
bond donor is a molecule that provides the hydrogen atom participating in a hydrogen
bond. In contrast, a hydrogen bond acceptor is a molecule that contains the lone
pair-bearing electronegative atom.

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Fig. 7. Hydrogen bond formation between water and formaldehyde

The table below summarizes the major types of IMFA.

Table 4.1.1. The strengths of intermolecular forces of attraction (IMFA)

Type of IMFA Present in Relative Strength

weak (increases with the

London dispersion forces all molecules
size of the molecule)

moderate (increases
dipole-dipole forces polar molecules
with increasing polarity)

solutions of ionic
strong (increases with
ion-dipole forces compounds dissolved in
increasing ionic charge)
polar solvents

molecules with H-F, H-O,

hydrogen bonding strong
H-N bonds

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Remember
Intermolecular forces are different from chemical bonds. Unlike chemical
bonds formed by the transfer or sharing of electrons, IMFA results from
electrostatic interactions between parts of different molecules with
opposite charges.

Examples

Example 1
What IMFAs will HF exhibit?

Answer:
Hydrogen fluoride (HF) is a polar molecule so it will have London dispersion forces and
dipole-dipole forces. Since hydrogen is bonded to fluorine, a highly electronegative atom,
the compound will also exhibit hydrogen bonding interactions.

Let’s Practice
What IMFA/s is/are present in I2?

Example 2
Which among H2, HBr and Br2 will likely exhibit dipole-dipole forces?

Answer:
The compound HBr will likely exhibit dipole-dipole forces. The compounds H2 and Br2
are nonpolar, so the only IMFA present in them are London dispersion forces. On the other
hand, HBr is a polar molecule, so it has both London dispersion forces and dipole-dipole
forces.

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Let’s Practice
Which will have stronger IMFA: HCl or HF?

Example 3
Will CO 2 exhibit dipole-dipole forces?

Answer:
No. In CO 2, the bond between carbon and oxygen is polar. However, since the two
carbon-oxygen bonds point away from each other, their dipoles cancel and the molecule as
a whole is nonpolar. Thus, CO 2 will only exhibit London dispersion forces.

Let’s Practice
Will NH3 exhibit dipole-dipole forces?

Key Points

● Intermolecular forces are attractive forces present between molecules.

● There are four major types of intermolecular forces of attraction:
○ London dispersion forces exist in all molecules and are caused by
fluctuations in the electron distribution within atoms or molecules.
○ Dipole-dipole forces are present in polar molecules and result from
electrostatic interactions among dipoles on neighboring molecules.
○ Ion-dipole forces result from the electrostatic attraction of a molecule
containing a dipole and an ion.
○ Hydrogen bonding is a special kind of dipole-dipole force that exists when
hydrogen is bonded to F, O, or N.

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Check Your Understanding

A. Read each item carefully and supply the missing terms. Write your answer on the
blanks provided.
1. _______________ exists only when hydrogen is bonded to fluorine, oxygen, or
nitrogen.
2. Molecules with a large number of electrons would have _______________ LDFs.
3. _______________ is produced when electrons temporarily move to one side of
the molecule, making that side partially negative while the other side partially
positive.
4. Molecules that exhibit hydrogen bonding tend to have _______________ melting
points.
5. _______________ result from the electrostatic interactions among dipoles on
neighboring molecules.
6. The only type of IMFA in nonpolar molecules is _______________.
7. Hydrogen chloride is a _______________ molecule because the electronegativity
difference between H and Cl is high.
8. _______________ are attractive interactions present between molecules of a
substance.
9. The molecule Cl2 is _______________ because it is composed of two same atoms.
10. The IMFAs present in H2O are _______________.

B. Read each item carefully. Write true on the blank provided before each number if the
statement is correct. Write false if the statement is incorrect.
__________ 1. It is possible for a molecule not to exhibit any IMFA.
__________ 2. If the hypothetical molecule XY is polar, then it will exhibit
dipole-dipole forces.
__________ 3. Hydrogen bonding involves the sharing of electrons between the
hydrogen of one molecule and the F, O, or N atoms of another
molecule.

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__________ 4. Nonpolar molecules can have permanent dipoles.

__________ 5. A molecule that exhibits dipole-dipole forces and hydrogen bonding
will have a lower melting point than a similar molecule that exhibits
LDFs.
__________ 6. It is possible for a molecule to have only hydrogen bonding without
dipole-dipole forces.
__________ 7. Bromine, Br2, has a higher boiling point than chlorine, Cl2 because it
has a larger number of electrons.
__________ 8. Instantaneous dipoles are only present in highly polar molecules.
__________ 9. It is impossible for H2 to exhibit hydrogen bonding.
_________ 10. More electrons in a molecule means a relatively stronger LDF.

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Bibliography

Bettelheim, Frederick A., et al. 2015. Introduction to General, Organic and Biochemistry.
Boston: Cengage Learning.

Ebbing, Darrell and Steven Gammon. 2016. General Chemistry. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Moore, John W and Conrad L. Stanitski. 2015. Chemistry: The Molecular Science, 5th ed . USA:
Cengage Learning.

Reger, Daniel L., et al. 2009. Chemistry: Principles and Practice. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Spencer, James N., et al. 2010. Chemistry: Structure and Dynamics. New Jersey: John Wiley &
Sons.

Answer to Let’s Practice

1. What IMFA/s is/are present in I2?
Answer: London dispersion forces

2. Which will have stronger IMFA: HCl or HF?

Answer: HF will have stronger IMFA due to hydrogen bonding.

3. Will NH3 exhibit dipole-dipole forces?

Answer: Yes, because the dipoles in NH3 do not cancel out so it is a polar molecule.

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