Which of the following compounds will form hydrogen bonds between its molecules?

• A. C2H6
• B. CO2
• C. NH3
• D. CH4

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand what hydrogen bonding is: it is a special type of dipole-dipole interaction that occurs when hydrogen is covalently bonded to highly electronegative atoms like nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), or fluorine (F).
2. Examine each compound to see if it contains hydrogen atoms bonded directly to N, O, or F, which is necessary for hydrogen bonding.
3. For C2H6 (ethane), note that hydrogen is bonded to carbon, which is not electronegative enough to create hydrogen bonding.
4. For CO2 (carbon dioxide), there are no hydrogen atoms at all, so hydrogen bonding cannot occur.
5. For NH3 (ammonia), hydrogen atoms are bonded directly to nitrogen, a highly electronegative atom, making hydrogen bonding possible between molecules.