Multiple Choice
Which statement is correct about a sample of liquid water at room temperature?
22
views
1. Intro to General Chemistry
Physical Properties
Struggling with General Chemistry?
Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
Which one of the following substances should have the lowest boiling point?
A
CH4
B
HF
C
NH3
D
H2O
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand that boiling point depends on the strength of intermolecular forces present in the substance. Stronger intermolecular forces result in higher boiling points because more energy is required to separate the molecules.
Step 2: Identify the types of intermolecular forces in each substance: CH4 has only London dispersion forces; HF, NH3, and H2O all exhibit hydrogen bonding, which is a much stronger intermolecular force.
Step 3: Compare the strength of hydrogen bonding among HF, NH3, and H2O. Although all have hydrogen bonding, H2O has the strongest due to its ability to form two hydrogen bonds per molecule, followed by NH3 and then HF.
Step 4: Recognize that CH4, lacking hydrogen bonding and having only weak London dispersion forces, will have the weakest intermolecular forces and thus the lowest boiling point.
Step 5: Conclude that among the given substances, CH4 should have the lowest boiling point because it has the weakest intermolecular forces.
Related Videos
Related Practice
Physical Properties practice set
Problem sets built by lead tutorsExpert video explanations