Which type of intermolecular force is primarily responsible for the high boiling
Practice Questions
Q1
Which type of intermolecular force is primarily responsible for the high boiling point of water?
Van der Waals
Dipole-dipole
Hydrogen bonding
Ionic
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which type of intermolecular force is primarily responsible for the high boiling point of water?
Step 1: Understand what intermolecular forces are. These are the forces that hold molecules together.
Step 2: Identify the types of intermolecular forces. The main types are hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions, and London dispersion forces.
Step 3: Focus on water (H2O). Water molecules have a unique structure that allows them to form hydrogen bonds.
Step 4: Recognize that hydrogen bonds occur when a hydrogen atom is attracted to a highly electronegative atom (like oxygen).
Step 5: Realize that these hydrogen bonds are strong compared to other types of intermolecular forces.
Step 6: Conclude that because water has strong hydrogen bonds, it requires more energy (in the form of heat) to break these bonds, resulting in a high boiling point.