Which type of interactions are broken when a liquid is converted to a gas?

• A. Nuclear forces within atoms
• B. Covalent bonds within molecules
• C. Ionic bonds within the compound
• D. Intermolecular forces

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that when a liquid changes to a gas (a process called vaporization or evaporation), the molecules move farther apart and overcome the forces holding them together in the liquid phase.
2. Recognize that nuclear forces within atoms and covalent bonds within molecules are very strong and are not broken during phase changes; these require chemical reactions or very high energy to break.
3. Ionic bonds are strong electrostatic attractions between ions in ionic compounds, which also are not typically broken during vaporization unless the compound decomposes.
4. Identify that the forces broken during the liquid-to-gas transition are the weaker forces between molecules, known as intermolecular forces (such as hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions, and London dispersion forces).
5. Conclude that vaporization involves overcoming intermolecular forces to allow molecules to separate and enter the gas phase, without breaking the internal chemical bonds of the molecules.