Lesson 1: Intermolecular Forces Handout

Intermolecular forces
1. are attractive forces that act between molecules or particles in the solid or liquid states. Generally,
these attractive forces are much weaker than bonding forces.

Melting points and boiling points of substances can be used as indicators of strength of intermolecular
forces operating in given solids and liquids

When a solid melts, or a liquid boils, the particles move away from each other. As they do
intermolecular forces of attraction are broken. The stronger the intermolecular forces to be broken, the
larger the amount of energy needed to break them, hence, the higher the melting point for solid to liquid
transformation, and boiling point for liquid to gas transformation.

Types of intermolecular forces the type of molecules that exhibit them

1. Dispersion forces – these forces of attraction result from temporary dipole moments induced in ordinarily
nonpolar molecules. These forces are present between all types of molecules due to the movement of
electrons. As electrons move around the nucleus, an uneven distribution causes momentary charge
separations. Slightly positive sides of a molecule are attracted to the slightly negative sides of the adjacent
molecule.
2. Polarizability
The extent to which a dipole moment can be induced in a molecule is called its polarizability. Polarizability
of the atom or molecule refers to the ease with which the electron distribution can be distorted. Generally,
the larger the number of electrons and the larger or more diffused the electron cloud in the atom or
molecule, the greater its polarizability. Thus, dispersion forces may be the weakest of intermolecular forces
that can exist between two molecules, but the larger the atoms present, the stronger the dispersion forces.

For example, F2, the lightest halogen, is a gas, Br2 is a liquid, and the heavier I2 ,is a solid at room
conditions. Further, the more atoms that make up the molecules, the stronger are the dispersion forces.
Methane, CH4, is gaseous, but larger hydrocarbons like butane, C4H10. is liquid, and those with larger
number of carbon atoms, like the waxes, are solids at room temperature

3. London Dispersion Forces

Consider atoms of helium. The average distribution of electrons around each nucleus is spherically
symmetrical. The atoms are nonpolar and possess no dipole moment.

At a given instant in time, the distribution of electrons around an individual atom, may not be perfectly
symmetrical. Both electrons may be on one side of the nucleus, as shown on the leftmost atom in the figure
below.

Instantaneous uneven Instantaneous Induced dipole on

distribution of electrons in He dipole neighbouring He atom .
atom Resultant attractive force

Figure 1. London dispersion forces between helium atoms

The atom would have an apparent dipole moment at that instant in time (i.e. a transient dipole).

A close neighboring atom, shown on the right, would be influenced by this apparent dipole. The electrons
of the neighboring atom would move away from the negative region of the dipole.Due to electron repulsion,
a temporary dipole on one atom can induce a similar dipole on a neighboring atom

This will cause the neighboring atoms to be attracted to one another. This is called the London
dispersion force (or just dispersion force). It is significant only when the atoms are close together.
4. Dipole-dipole forces are attractive forces between polar molecules (molecules that possess dipole
moments). In polar molecules the electrons are unevenly distributed because some elements are more
electronegative than others. The partial negative side of one molecule is attracted to the partial positive
side of another molecule. This type of force is stronger than the dispersion forces because polar molecules
have a permanent uneven distribution of electrons. The nature of attraction is electrostatic and can be
understood in terms of Coulomb’s law: The larger the dipole moment, the stronger the attraction.

Figure 2. Attractive Dipole-Dipole Interactions

Hydrogen bond is a special type of dipole-dipole interaction between the hydrogen atom in a polar bond,
such as N‒H, O‒H, or F‒H, and an electronegative O, N, or F atom. Hydrogen bonds between water
molecules are particularly strong.

The interaction is written as

A ‒ H ••• B or A ‒ H ••• A

A and B represent O, N, or F; A ‒ H is one molecule or part of a molecule and A or B is a part of

another molecule; the dotted line represents the hydrogen bond.

Examples of hydrogen bonding in water (H2O), ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen fluoride (HF):

Figure 3. Hydrogen bonds in H2O, NH3 and HF.

The following diagram can be used to determine the types of intermolecular forces present in substances
 Figure 4. Schematic diagram for determining intermolecular forces in a substance

Figure 5. Alternative Schematic Diagram for determining Intermolecular Forces in a Substance