Intermolecular

Forces VS
Intramolecular
Forces
Intramolecular forces
Intramolecular (within molecules) forces holds
atoms together in a molecule.
 stabilize individual molecules.
Generally, these forces are simply the
chemical bonds such as ionic and covalent
bonding.
Intermolecular forces

Intermolecular forces are attractive forces

between molecules.
 are responsible for the non-ideal behavior
of gases, but they exert more influence in
the condensed phases of matter which are
liquids and solids.
Intermolecular forces are collectively known
as van der Waals forces
• named after Dutch chemist, Johannes van
der Waal.
Van der Waals forces are electrical in
nature; that is, they result in the attraction
between centers of opposite charge in two
molecules close to each other.
 The changes in states are due
to changes in the forces
among the molecules rather
than in those within the
molecules.
 Types of Intermoleclar Forces
1. London Dispersion forces
 simply dispersion forces, are intermolecular
forces of attraction that exist between all
atoms and molecules.
 the only kind of intermolecular forces present
among symmetrical nonpolar substances such
as O2 and CO2 and monoatomic species such
as noble gases.
 Without dispersion forces, such
substances could not condense to
form liquids or solidify to form
solids.
Dispersion forces are weak
attractive forces that results from
the continuous movement of
electrons in particles. Nonpolar
molecules have zero dipole
moment because their electron
density is uniform and
symmetrical.
dispersion forces are generally stronger for
molecules that are larger or have more
electrons.
example:
between helium and argon, two argon atoms
will have greater dispersion force because
they are bigger than helium atoms.
 2. Dipole-dipole Forces
are attractive forces between polar
molecules, that is, between molecules that
possess dipole moments.
Their origin is electrostatic, and they can be
understood in terms of Coulomb’s law.
The larger the dipole moment, the greater the
force.
 Dipole-dipole forces are the attraction
between the positive end of one molecule
and the negative end of another
Dipoles form when there is a large
difference in electronegativity between
two atoms joined by a covalent bond.
3. Hydrogen bonding
Hydrogen bond is a special case of
very strong dipole-dipole interaction.
They are not chemical bonds in formal
sense. Strong hydrogen bonding
occurs among polar covalent molecules
containing H and one of the three
small, highly electronegative elements
– F, O, or N.
 4. Ion-Dipole Forces
Ion-dipole force acts between an ion (either
cation or anion) and a polar molecule.
When an ionic compound is placed in a solution
of water, the positive end of the ionic compound
becomes surrounded with the partial negative
end of the ionic compound, in turn, becomes
surrounded by the partial positive hydrogen ion in
In short, the positive pole is attracted to the
negative ion (anion), while the negative pole
is attracted to a positive ion (cation).
These four intermolecular forces vary in
strength. Ion dipole forces is the strongest of
the four, followed by hydrogen bonding being
a special type of dipoledipole. Dipole-dipole is
weaker than the ion-dipole and hydrogen
bonding while London dispersion forces is the
weakest.
Activity 1: OPERATION: Crossword Puzzle

Directions: Complete the crossword by filling

in the boxes to form a word that fits each
clue.
 Activity 3: Classify Me

Directions: Determine what type of intermolecular

force/s is/are present in each compound.
1. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) ________________
2. Nitrogen gas (N2) __________________
3. Lithium chloride (LiCl) dissolved in water _____________
4. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) ______________________
5. Ethanol (C2H5OH) _____________________________
6. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) _______________________
7. Hydrogen iodide (HI) __________________
8. Ammonium bromide (NH4Br) solution ______________
9. Ethylene (C2H4) __________________________
10.Phosphorus trichloride (PCl3) ____________________