Intermolecular Forces

and
Properties of Liquids
Specific Learning Outcomes:
Describe the properties of liquids: surface
tension, viscosity, vapor pressure, boiling
point, and molar heat of vaporization;
Explain the effect of intermolecular forces
on these properties
Important Terms:
Fluid – a gas or a liquid; a substance that can
flow
Surface Tension – the measure of the elastic
force in the surface of a liquid; It is the amount of
energy required to stretch or increase the surface
of a liquid by a unit area.
Capillary Action – the tendency of a liquid to
rise in narrow tubes or to be drawn into small
openings
Important Terms:
Viscosity – a measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow
Vapor – a gaseous substance that exist naturally as a
liquid or solid at normal temperature
Vaporization – the change of phase from liquid to
vapor
Vapor Pressure of a Liquid – the equilibrium
pressure of a vapor above its liquid; that is, the
pressure exerted by the vapor above the surface of
the liquid in a closed container
Important Terms:
Boiling Point – the temperature at which a liquid
boils. The boiling point of a liquid when the
external pressure is 1 atm is called the normal
boiling point
Molar Heat of Vaporization - the energy
(usually in kilojoules) required to vaporize 1 mole
of a liquid at a given temperature
There are only 2 liquid elements.
(at room temperature)
Physical Properties of Liquids Affected by
the Intermolecular Forces of Attraction:
Viscosity, surface tension, capillary action,
vapor pressure, boiling point, diffusion
Viscosity – the internal resistance of
a liquid to flow

In honey, cohesion is so
great; IMF is very large
due to the hydrogen
bonding
 Viscosities of Some Alkanes
Substan Formula Viscosity(kg/m
ce s)
hexane CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3 3.26 x 10-4
heptane CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3 4.09 x 10-4
octane CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3 5.42 x 10-4

nonane CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3 7.11 x 10-4

decane CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH 1.42 x 10-3

2CH3
 Viscosities of Some Liquids
(in centipoise)
Liquid Intermolecular Forces of Attraction Viscosity
water H bonding, London dispersion forces 1.002
(LDF)
CCl4 London dispersion forces (LDF) 0.969
Olive oil London dispersion forces (LDF) 84
Oleic London dispersion forces (LDF) 25
acid
glycerine H bonding, London dispersion forces 1490
(LDF)
 Stronger IMF Higher viscosity
IMF increases as molar mass increases;
IMF decreases as temperature
increases
Surface Tension – a force that pulls
particles at the exposed surface of a
liquid toward other liquid particles

https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-surface-tension-in-chemistry-
605713
https://craigssenseofwonder.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/images-
2.jpeg
Surface Tension – tendency
of liquids to minimize their
surface area due to the IMF

https://pixabay.com/en/garden-rose-
red-pink-dewdrop-339237/
Surface Tension – results
from the net inward force
experienced by the
molecules on the surface of
a liquid
Stronger IMF, higher surface tension
Weaker IMF, lower surface tension
Capillary Action – liquid
spontaneously rising in a narrow
tube due to cohesion and adhesion
COHESION –
attraction of
molecules in a
liquid to each
other due to the
IMF
ADHESION –
attraction of
molecules in a liquid
to its container due to
the IMF
Adhesive Forces ˃
Cohesive Forces
(Weaker IMF)
capillary action occurs;
liquid climbs up the
tube
Cohesive Forces ˃ Adhesive forces
(Stronger IMF)
No capillary action;
liquid may pull away from the
tube
Vapor Pressure – the pressure of a
gas in dynamic equilibrium with its
liquid; the rate of evaporation and
condensation are equal
Increase in temperature = increase in vp

Stronger IMF, lower vapor pressure

Weaker IMF, higher vapor pressure
The stronger the intermolecular
forces, the stronger the interactions
that hold the substance together, the
lower the vapor pressure of a liquid at
the given temperature, and the harder
it is to vaporize a substance.
 Vaporization – the transition from a
liquid to a gas; This process requires
energy
Rate of vaporization increases with—
• increasing temperature
• increasing surface area
• decreasing strength of IMF
Volatile – evaporates easily
Non-volatile – does not evaporate
easily

Examples of volatile substances

Boiling Point – the temperature at
which the vapor pressure of a substance
equals the external pressure

Stronger IMF, higher boiling point

Weaker IMF, lower boiling point
The normal boiling point is the temperature
in which the vapour pressure of a liquid
becomes equal to atmospheric pressure.

If the intermolecular forces are small, the

liquid has a high vapour pressure.

Little heat energy will have to be added to

separate the molecules, so the boiling point
will be low.
The higher the vapor pressure of a
liquid at a given temperature,
the higher the volatility and
the lower the normal boiling point of
the liquid.
Diffusion in Liquids: slower than
in gases

Diffusion: movement
of particles that allows
them to spread out
and mix with other
particles