What is the primary intermolecular force present in liquid water?
Practice Questions
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Q1
What is the primary intermolecular force present in liquid water?
Ionic bonds
Covalent bonds
Hydrogen bonds
Van der Waals forces
Water molecules are held together primarily by hydrogen bonds.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: What is the primary intermolecular force present in liquid water?
Solution: Water molecules are held together primarily by hydrogen bonds.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand that water is made up of molecules, specifically H2O, which means each water molecule has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
Step 2: Recognize that molecules can attract each other through different types of forces called intermolecular forces.
Step 3: Identify that one important type of intermolecular force is called a hydrogen bond, which occurs when a hydrogen atom is attracted to a highly electronegative atom like oxygen.
Step 4: Realize that in liquid water, each water molecule can form hydrogen bonds with neighboring water molecules.
Step 5: Conclude that the primary intermolecular force holding water molecules together in liquid form is hydrogen bonds.
