Bond polarity is a measure of how

equally or unequally the electrons in any

Covalent bond are shared.
A nonpolar covalent bond is one in which
the electrons are shared equally, as in Cl2 and
N2.
In a polar covalent bond, one of the
atoms exerts a greater attraction for the
bonding electrons than the other. If the
difference in relative ability to attract
electrons is large enough, an ionic bond
is formed.
Electronegativity is defined as the
ability of an atom in a molecule to attract
electrons to itself. The greater an atom’s
electronegativity, the greater its ability to
attract electrons to itself.
This expression tells us that
dipole moment increases as the
magnitude of Q increases and as
r increases. The larger the dipole
moment, the more polar the
bond. For a nonpolar molecule,
such as F , the dipole moment is
2

zero because there is no charge

separation.
This attractive interaction is called the
dispersion force (or the London dispersion
force in some texts). It is significant only
when molecules are very close together.
The ease with which the charge
distribution is distorted is called the
molecule’s Polarizability.
Because molecular size and mass
generally parallel each other, dispersion
forces tend to increase in strength with
increasing molecular weight.
Molecular shape also influences the
magnitudes of dispersion forces.
The presence of a permanent dipole
moment in polar molecules gives rise to
dipole–dipole forces. These forces
originate from electrostatic attractions
between the partially positive end of one
molecule and the partially negative end of a
neighboring molecule.
 acetonitrile (CH3CN, MW 41 amu, bp 355 K)
and
propane (CH3CH2CH3, MW 44 amu, bp 231K)
For molecules of approximately equal
mass and size, the strength of
intermolecular attractions increases with
increasing polarity
A hydrogen bond is an attraction between
a hydrogen atom attached to a highly
electronegative atom (usually F, O, or N)
and a nearby small electronegative atom in
another molecule or chemical group.
In which of these substances is hydrogen
bonding likely to play an important role in
determining physical properties: methane
(CH4), hydrazine (H2NNH2), methyl
fluoride (CH3F), hydrogen sulfide (H2S)?
Because ice floats, it covers the top
of the water when a lake freezes,
thereby insulating the water. If ice
were denser than water, ice forming
at the top of a lake would sink to the
bottom, and the lake could freeze
solid. Most aquatic life could not
survive under these conditions.
An ion–dipole force exists between an
ion and a polar molecule
Cations are attracted to the negative
end of a dipole, and anions are attracted
to the positive end.
The magnitude of the attraction
increases as either the ionic charge or
the magnitude of the dipole moment
increases.
In which mixture do you expect to find
ion–dipole forces between solute and
solvent? CH3OH in water or Ca(NO3)2 in
water.
List the substances BaCl2, H2, CO, HF, and
Ne in order of increasing boiling point.
When comparing the relative strengths of
intermolecular attractions, consider
these generalizations:
1. When the molecules of two substances have
comparable molecular weight and shapes,
dispersion forces are approximately equal in the
two substances.
Differences in the magnitudes of the intermolecular
forces are due to differences in the strengths of dipole–
dipole attractions. The intermolecular forces get
stronger as molecule polarity increases, with those
molecules capable of hydrogen bonding having the
strongest interactions.
2. When the molecules of two substances differ
widely in molecular weights, and there is no
hydrogen bonding, dispersion forces tend to
determine which substance has the stronger
intermolecular attractions. Intermolecular attractive
forces are generally higher in the substance with
higher molecular weight.