Multiple Choice
Which of the following substances would you expect to have the lowest boiling point?
35
views
13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces
Intermolecular Forces and 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 of the following molecules would have the highest boiling point?
A
H_2O
B
CH_4
C
CO_2
D
NH_3
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand that boiling point is influenced by 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 molecule: CH_4 (methane) and CO_2 (carbon dioxide) are nonpolar molecules and primarily exhibit London dispersion forces, which are relatively weak.
Step 3: NH_3 (ammonia) is a polar molecule and exhibits hydrogen bonding due to the presence of N-H bonds, which is a stronger intermolecular force than dispersion forces.
Step 4: H_2O (water) is also polar and exhibits hydrogen bonding, but the hydrogen bonding in water is generally stronger than in ammonia because oxygen is more electronegative than nitrogen, leading to stronger dipole interactions.
Step 5: Conclude that since H_2O has the strongest hydrogen bonding among the given molecules, it will have the highest boiling point.
3:13mWatch next
Master Intermolecular Forces and Properties with a bite sized video explanation from Jules
Start learningRelated Videos
Related Practice
Intermolecular Forces and Physical Properties practice set
Problem sets built by lead tutorsExpert video explanations