8: Molecules and Attractive Forces
- Page ID
- 522119
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)All matter is subject to attractive forces, and the more we understand the bonding between atoms, ions, and/or molecules the more we can predict what types of attractive forces might occur. This chapter will focus mostly on the attractive forces between molecules, though those are not the only types of attractive forces that are possible.
Subsections 8.1 through 8.4 will cover additional aspects of bonding in molecules which are important to understand the types of bonding possible between molecules. Mastery of the content in chapter 7 will be necessary to succeed in these sections. Section 8.5 introduces the types of forces that exist between molecules. Section 8.6-8.8 discuss some of the physical properties that are dependent on attractive forces. These attractive forces might be the intermolecular forces introduced here, though there are other possibilities such as ionic or covalent bonds that were covered in the previous chapter, and still more that will be explored in more detail in the next chapter.
Prior to starting chapter 9 you will want to make sure you are familiar with a few things introduced in the previous chapter. Please review that before starting on this chapter.
- 8.1: Review Lewis Structures
- According to the octet rule, atoms will tend to lose, gain, or share electrons such that their valence electron shell resembles that of a noble gas. In most cases, the noble gas has 8 electrons in his valence shell, hence the word octet to describe the number 8.
- 8.2: Bond Polarity
- Covalent bonds can be nonpolar or polar, depending on the electronegativities of the atoms involved. Molecules can be polar or nonpolar, depending both on the polarity of the bonds which make them up and the overall geometry of the molecule.
- 8.3: Predicting the Shapes of Molecules
- The approximate shape of a molecule can be predicted from the number of electron groups and the number of surrounding atoms.
- 8.4: Molecular Polarity
- Covalent bonds can be nonpolar or polar, depending on the electronegativities of the atoms involved. Molecules can be polar or nonpolar, depending both on the polarity of the bonds which make them up and the overall geometry of the molecule.
- 8.5: Intermolecular Forces- Dispersion, Dipole–Dipole, Hydrogen Bonding
- All substances experience dispersion forces between their particles. Substances that are polar experience dipole-dipole interactions. Substances with covalent bonds between an H atom and N, O, or F atoms experience hydrogen bonding. The preferred phase of a substance depends on the strength of the intermolecular force and the energy of the particles.
- 8.6: The Physical States
- The state of a substance depends on the balance between the kinetic energy of the individual particles (molecules or atoms) and the intermolecular forces. The kinetic energy keeps the molecules apart and moving around, and is a function of the temperature of the substance and the intermolecular forces try to draw the particles together.
- 8.7: Phase Changes
- Phase changes can occur between any two phases of matter. All phase changes occur with a simultaneous change in energy. All phase changes are isothermal.
- 8.8: Solutions - Homogeneous Mixtures
- There are two types of mixtures: mixtures in which the substances are evenly mixed together (called a homogenous mixture, or solution) and a mixture in which the substances are not evenly mixed (called a heterogeneous mixture). When a solution, or homogenous mixture, is said to have uniform properties throughout, the definition is referring to properties at the particle level.
- 8.E: Attractive Forces
- These are exercises and select solutions to company Chapter 10 of the "Beginning Chemistry" Textmap formulated around the Ball et al. textbook.


