Which type of intermolecular force is primarily responsible for the formation of bonds when water is converted from a liquid to a solid (ice)?

• A. London dispersion forces
• B. Hydrogen bonds
• C. Covalent bonds
• D. Ionic bonds

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the types of intermolecular forces present in water. Water molecules are polar and can form hydrogen bonds due to the presence of highly electronegative oxygen atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms.
2. Understand that when water changes from liquid to solid (ice), the molecules arrange themselves in a structured lattice, which is stabilized by intermolecular forces rather than covalent or ionic bonds.
3. Recall that covalent bonds hold atoms together within a single water molecule, and ionic bonds are not relevant here because water is a molecular compound, not an ionic compound.
4. Recognize that London dispersion forces are weak intermolecular forces present in all molecules but are not the primary force responsible for the solid structure of ice.
5. Conclude that hydrogen bonding, a strong type of dipole-dipole interaction involving hydrogen atoms bonded to oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine, is the primary intermolecular force responsible for the formation of the solid ice lattice.