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12: An Investigation OF Intermolecular Forces

  • Page ID
    506225
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    PURPOSE

    The purpose of this experiment is to: 

    • Identify intermolecular forces present in the given liquids.
    • Test the solubility of various liquids in water.
    • Explore the evaporation of liquids and relate the results to the strengths of intermolecular forces.

    INTRODUCTION

    Intermolecular forces are attractive forces between atoms and molecules in a substance. The three most important intermolecular forces are London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole, and hydrogen bonding. We first look at the polarity to determine the primary intermolecular force present in a substance. Polar substances will have dipole-dipole or hydrogen bonding as the primary intermolecular force, and non-polar substances will have London dispersion forces.

    Intermolecular forces play a pivotal role in determining the physical properties exhibited by substances. For instance, they can explain why certain substances form solutions with others. Understanding these forces also enables us to predict trends in boiling points and evaporation rates of liquids based on their strengths.

    In this experiment, you will first identify the most important intermolecular force in various liquids by examining their structure and polarity. You will then be asked to perform a literature search to determine each liquid's boiling point. Finally, you will explore how intermolecular forces influence solution formation and evaporation.

       


    This page titled 12: An Investigation OF Intermolecular Forces is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Saadia Khan.