Which intermolecular force is primarily responsible for water's high boiling point?

• A. London dispersion forces
• B. Ionic bonding
• C. Dipole-dipole interactions
• D. Hydrogen bonding

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the types of intermolecular forces present in water: London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, and hydrogen bonding.
2. Recall that London dispersion forces are weak forces present in all molecules but are generally the weakest among intermolecular forces.
3. Understand that dipole-dipole interactions occur between polar molecules due to the attraction between partial positive and partial negative charges.
4. Recognize that hydrogen bonding is a special, stronger type of dipole-dipole interaction that occurs when hydrogen is bonded to highly electronegative atoms like oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine.
5. Since water (H\_2O) has hydrogen atoms bonded to oxygen, it exhibits hydrogen bonding, which is the primary intermolecular force responsible for its unusually high boiling point compared to other molecules of similar size.