Intermolecular Forces

Opener
1. What kind of force allows atoms to form bonds?

1. What makes polar molecules polar?

1. What is the major assumption about ideal gases?

Intra- vs. Intermolecular Forces
● Learned about chemical bonds
○ Ionic
○ Covalent
○ Metallic
● What fundamental type of force causes atoms to bond?
○ Electrostatic forces
○ Opposites attract
● So, what causes molecules to be attracted to each other?
○ Electrostatic forces
Introduction
● Why do different substances exist in different phases at the
same temperature (e.g. H2O and CH4 at room temp.)?

● Why does ice float on water?

● Why does ethanol mix with water but oil doesn’t?

5 Types of Intermolecular Forces
1. Ion-dipole
2. Dipole-dipole Polar Molecules
3. Hydrogen bonding
4. Dipole-induced dipole
5. Induced dipole-induced dipole Non-polar Molecules
3 Properties Affected
Depending on the strength
of the intermolecular forces:

1. Melting/Boiling Point
2. Enthalpy of
Vaporization
3. Solubility
Ion-Dipole
Between an ion and a molecule with a
permanent dipole

Water is a common solvent

● E.g. NaCl in water

Dipole-Dipole
Two molecules with permanent dipoles

Example?

● HCL
Dipole-Dipole
Compd Mol. Wt. Boil Point

N2 28 -196 oC
CO 28 -192 oC
Br2 160 59 oC
ICl 162 97 oC
Hydrogen Bonding
A special case of dipole-dipole
● Much stronger

H bonded to N, O, F and bonds with a lone pair (usually of N, O, F)

Hydrogen Bonding
Much stronger than other
dipole-dipole interactions

Why N, O, F?

Why does H2O have a

higher BP than HF?
Hydrogen Bonding of Water
H2O is special because

● Not only does it have H-bonding, but

● Its structure allows for greater bonding

Tetrahedral
Hydrogen Bonding of Water
H2O has a lot of strong bonding

Effects:

1. Ice is less dense than liquid water

2. High MP & BP
3. High specific heat capacity
4. High enthalpy of vaporization
Hydrogen Bonding in DNA
Checkpoint
Ethanol, CH3CH2OH, and dimethyl ether, CH3OCH3, have the
same formula but different arrangement of atoms. Predict
which of these compounds has the higher boiling point.
Dipole-Induced Dipole
How can non-polar molecules have intermolecular forces?
Polarity can be induced temporarily
● Called polarization
Dipole-Induced Dipole
Polarizability: the degree to which a
molecule can be polarized

Increases as molecular mass

increases
● The electron cloud is more
easily distorted
Induced Dipole-Induced Dipole
What if there is no polar molecule to induce a dipole?

Non-polar molecules can do that themselves

London dispersion forces

Induced Dipole-Induced Dipole
Questions
● Why do different substances exist in different phases at the
same temperature (e.g. H2O and CH4 at room temp.)?

● Why does ice float on water?

● Why does ethanol mix with water but oil doesn’t?

Practice
1. Why is I2 a solid at room temperature while Cl2 is a gas?

1. Decide which are the most important intermolecular forces

involved in each of the following, and place them in order
of increasing strength of interaction: (a) liquid methane,
CH4, (b) a mixture of water and methanol, CH3OH, and (c) a
solution of bromine in water.
Wrap-up
Intermolecular forces allow molecules to be attracted to each other

There are 5 types in 2 groups

Ion-dipole > H-bond. > Dipole-dipole > Dipole-induced dipole >

London dispersion

3 properties affected

Greater molecular mass → Stronger intermolecular forces