Lesson 3: Intermolecular Forces

Objectives
• Describe the general types of intermolecular forces
• give the type of intermolecular forces in the properties of substances;
• explain the effect of intermolecular forces on the properties of
substances.

Intermolecular forces are forces that exist between molecules, atoms, or

ions. Intermolecular forces of attraction are weaker than intramolecular in terms
of energy involved however; intermolecular forces are responsible for the
properties of molecules. The intermolecular forces explain why substance exists as
solid, liquid or gas at room temperature. The following are the types of
intermolecular forces.

Ion-dipole Interaction
An ion-dipole interaction is the force of
interaction that exists between charged particles
called ions and a polar molecule. When NaCl
dissolves in water, NaCl dissociates to form Na+ ion
and Cl- ion. Since water is a polar molecule, it has a
partial positive end and partial negative end. Thus,
the Na+ ion from the NaCl molecule will attract the
partially negative end of the water molecule, while
the Cl- ion of NaCl will also attract to the partially
positive end of the water molecule.

Dipole-Dipole Interaction
Dipole- dipole interaction is the force of attraction that exists in polar
molecule like HCI. The unequal sharing of electrons between Hydrogen and
Chlorine atoms in HCl creating a partially positive pole in H and partially negative
pole in Cl and is referred as DIPOLE.
 In dipole-dipole interaction, the molecules with permanent dipoles attract
each other in way that the positive end of one molecule attracts the negative
end of the other molecule.

Hydrogen Bond
The bond that exists between water
molecules is Hydrogen bond. It is a special
kind of dipole-dipole interaction between
Hydrogen which is a polar molecule and a
highly electronegative elements Fluorine,
Oxygen and Nitrogen. In Hydrogen bond,
the highly electronegative element F, O, N
causes the hydrogen to become strongly
positive.
The ability of water to form H-bond relates to its ability as a universal solvent.
H-bond prevents the water from evaporating quickly into the atmosphere. It also
causes ice to float in water since at freezing temperature, water molecules tend
to form a crystal lattice as it expands.

London Dispersion Forces

is present in all molecules. It is the weakest intermolecular force which is
formed due to temporary dipoles of a non-polar molecule. The strength of the
dispersion forces increases as the molecular weight of the substance increases.