Identify the strongest type of intermolecular force (dipole-dipole, london dispersion, ion-dipole, ion-ion, hydrogen bond) in the following substances:

Ar (london)

HCl (dipole-dipole)

HF (would be hydrogen, but if we're looking at only one HF molecule, can we say it is hydrogen bonding, or would it be dipole-dipole? since there isn't other HF atoms for H bonding to occur)

CaCl2 (ion-ion)

CH4 (london)

CO (dipole-dipole)


CHCl3 (london)

HF is hydrogen bonding since a hydrogen is bounded to a florine. It is therfore strongest out of those options.

This post was edited by Vartex on Nov 22 2013 04:20pm

it is consdered a hydrogen bond even if it's a lone HF molecule? I thought the actual hydrogen bonding process would occur when one HF molecule interacted with other HF molecules


still iso answers for these please guys.

Hydrogen Bonding is FON (pronounced "fun" so you remember)

H Bonding is the strongest IMF and it's when hydrogen is bonded to a very electronegative atom...like fluorine, oxygen, or nitrogen.

Hence the mnemonic

hbonding is not stronger than ion-ion or ion-dipole.

someone just answer the questions please.

H bonding > ion-ion > dipole-dipole > london.

my phd professor listed ion ion ion dipole then hbond

if hbonds were stronger than ion bonding NaCl would have a lower boiling point than water.

This post was edited by fingerling on Nov 22 2013 08:23pm

HBonding is not stronger than covalaent or ionic bonding , that is correct.

This post was edited by nlin on Nov 22 2013 08:30pm

yeah true

No people fluent in basic chemistry ? Oh ok