SHS

INTERMOLECULAR FORCES

MRS. EVANGELINE D. TALA

 What holds the
particles in the solid
and liquid states?
 Intramolecular/Intermolecular Forces
o Intramolecular forces are the forces
that hold atoms together within a
molecule.

o Intermolecular forces are forces that

exist between molecules.
 Overview Intermolecular forces
● There are 2 types of attraction in molecules:
intramolecular bonds & intermolecular
forces
● We have already looked at intramolecular

bonds (ionic, polar, non-polar)

● Intermolecular forces (IMF) have to do with

the attraction between molecules (vs. the

attraction between atoms in a molecule)
Gases: The average kinetic energy of the gas molecules is much
larger than the average energy of the attractions between them.

Liquids: the intermolecular attractive forces are strong enough

to hold the molecules close together, but without much order.

Solids: the intermolecular attractive forces are strong enough to

lock molecules in place (high order).

Are they temperature

dependent?
8
+ Intermolecular forces – the attractions
between molecules
◼Determine whether a compound is a solid, liquid or gas at a
given temperature (determine melting and boiling points
of substances)
◼3 Main Types:
a) Hydrogen bonding
b) Dipole-dipole interactions
c) Dispersion forces
+ Hydrogen Bonding
◼Present in molecules with a hydrogen bonded to an
electronegative atom (O, N, or F)
◼A type of dipole interaction and the strongest
intermolecular force
+
 H - bonding
• H-bonding is a special type of dipole - dipole attraction
that is very strong
• It occurs when N, O, or F are bonded to H
Q- Calculate the EN for HCl and H2O
A- HCl = 2.9-2.1 = 0.8, H2O = 3.5-2.1 = 1.4
• The high EN of NH, OH, and HF bonds cause these to
be strong forces (about 5x stronger than normal dipole-
dipole forces)
• They are given a special name (H-bonding) because
compounds containing these bonds are important in
biological systems
Types of intermolecular forces (between neutral molecules):

Hydrogen bonding: cases of very strong dipole-dipole

interaction (bonds involving H-F, H-O, and H-N are most
important cases).

+H-F- --- +H-F-

Hydrogen bonding
14
Hydrogen bonding is a weak to moderate attractive force that
exists between a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a very
small and highly electronegative atom and a lone pair of electrons
on another small, electronegative atom (F, O, or N).

15
The strengths of intermolecular forces are generally weaker
than either ionic or covalent bonds.

16 kJ/mol (to separate molecules)

+ - + -

431 kJ/mol (to break bond)

16
+ Dipole-dipole interactions

◼Dipoles interact by the positive end of one

molecule being attracted to the negative end of
another molecule (similar to but much weaker
than ionic bonds)
 Ionic, Dipole - Dipole attractions
•We have seen that molecules can have + –
a separation of charge.
•This happens in both ionic and polar
bonds (the greater the EN, the greater
the dipoles) H Cl
• Molecules are attracted to each other in a compound by
these +ve and -ve forces
+ –
+ –
 Dipole
⚫When there is unequal sharing of electrons a dipole exists

Dipole is a molecule that has two poles or regions with

opposite charges

⚫A dipole is represented
by a dipole arrow
pointing towards the
more negative end
 Dipole-dipole forces: (polar molecules)

+
..
S ..
dipole-dipole attraction
O
- .. :
O
-

+
..
S ..
O
- .. :
O
-

What effect does this attraction have on the boiling point?

20
+ London Dispersion Forces (LDF)
◼Caused by electron
motion.
◼Present in all molecules.
◼Weakest intermolecular
force but increases as the
number of electrons
increases
London dispersion forces: (instantaneous dipole
moment) (also referred to as van der Waal’s forces)

attraction

- + - +

“electrons are shifted to overload one

side of an atom or molecule”. 22
 LDP
INSTANTANEOUS
23
DIPOLE
 London forces
• Non-polar molecules do not have dipoles like polar
molecules. How, then, can non-polar compounds form
solids or liquids?
• London forces are named after Fritz London (also called
van der Waal forces)
• London forces are due to small dipoles that exist in non-
polar molecules
• Because electrons are moving around in atoms there will
be instants when the charge around an atom is not
symmetrical
• The resulting tiny dipoles cause attractions between
atoms/molecules
 London forces
Instantaneous dipole: Induced dipole:

Eventually electrons A dipole forms in one

are situated so that atom or molecule,
tiny dipoles form inducing a dipole in the
other
+ Intermolecular forces and
melting/boiling point
 Why oil and water don’t mix
• Lets take a look at why oil and water don’t
mix (oil is non-polar, water is polar)
+ – + + – +
 
+ – + + – +
 
+ – + + – +
 

The partial charges on

water attract, pushing the + – +
oil (with no partial charge) 
out of the way. + – +
