Intermolecular forces
Read our general notes on Risk Assessment
Chemists have to understand intermolecular forces to make sense of the properties of molecular compounds.
Intermolecular forces are somewhere between ten and a hundred times weaker than covalent bonds.
Intermolecular forces have a very important part to play in the properties and behaviour of biological molecules such a carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids.
back to AS Chemistry
Tutorials
- Sorted FAQs on Intermolecular Forces
- Some exam "Dos and Don'ts": Intermolecular forces
- Intermolecular forces: audio tutorial
Webguides
Recently Asked Questions
- Argon is a mono-atomic molecule. If this is true, how does the argon molecule create van der Waals force? 141108
- Recently I have done several experiments, and I have following questions: A: Equal volumes of ethanol and cyclohexane were mixed in a foam cup. * Why should the foam cup be fitted in a beaker? * Why is there a decrease in temperature? * Is the mixing process exothermic? B: To measure the strength of H-bond formed between ethanol molecules, as above but using 20 cm3 of cyclohexane. * Why cyclohexane has to be used in excess in this experiment? * Is it reliable of the H-bond strength obtained? * As there are temperature drop of this experiment, then what is the hydrogen bond strength in ethanol, is it strong, and why? C: To discover the formation of H-bond between molecules of ethyl ethanoate and trichloromethane equal volumes were mixed in an insulated beaker and the highest temperature measured. * Why is an insulated beaker used instead of a polystyrene foam cup? * Is the mixing process endothermic? * Why is there are temperature change? D: To estimate a value for the strength of hydrogen bond between ethyl ethanoate and trichloromethane, repeat steps (1) and (2) in part c above using either one liquid in excess. * Why it does not matter which liquid is used in excess? * There are temperature rise in this experiment, what is the strength of the hydrogen bond formed between ethyl ethanoate and trichloromethane. Is it strong, and why? 140408
- If possible can you just give me examples of substances that would have: van der Waals' forces, hydrogen bonding, permanent dipoles and dipole-dipole attractions. 130408
Tests
updated: 09 July 2003
