3.6 Intermolecular Forces
Cambridge uses van der Waals’ forces as the family name for the attractions between molecules, then divides them into instantaneous dipole-induced dipole forces and permanent dipole-permanent dipole forces, with hydrogen bonding as a special case.
These pages cover electronegativity, ionic bonding and giant ionic lattices, metallic bonding, and covalent bonding with sigma and pi bonds, dative bonds and giant covalent structures.
They then cover the shapes and bond angles of molecules, polar molecules, and intermolecular forces with hydrogen bonding and the anomalous properties of water.
Revision Notes
6 revision notes, in the order the specification teaches them.
London Forces
Revise how moving electrons create instantaneous and induced dipoles, and why electrons and shape decide their strength.
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Permanent Dipole-Dipole Forces
Revise which molecules have a permanent dipole, how they attract, and how to decide the forces in an unfamiliar molecule.
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Hydrogen Bonding
Revise the N-H, O-H and H-F requirement, the exam diagram, and predicting hydrogen bonding in other molecules.
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Anomalous Properties of Water
Revise why water has such a high boiling point, why ice floats and why water has a high surface tension.
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Boiling Point Trends
Revise boiling point trends for alkanes, branched isomers, alcohols and the hydrogen halides.
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Choosing Solvents
Revise hydration of ions, alcohols in water, why some polar molecules do not dissolve, and non-aqueous solvents.
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Intermolecular Forces Map
Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry · Topic 3 Chemical bonding
The whole section on one A4 page: bonds or forces, id–id forces, permanent dipoles, hydrogen bonds, H₂O, NH₃ and HF, and why water is odd.
Boiling Points Map
Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry · Topic 3 Chemical bonding
The whole section on one A4 page: chain length, branching, alcohols against alkanes, the hydrogen halides, listing the forces and unfamiliar molecules.
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Specification
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3.6.1
- a
describe hydrogen bonding, limited to molecules containing N–H and O–H groups, including ammonia and water as simple examples
Revise - b i
use the concept of hydrogen bonding to explain the anomalous property of H2O (ice and water): its relatively high melting and boiling points
Revise - b ii
use the concept of hydrogen bonding to explain the anomalous property of H2O (ice and water): its relatively high surface tension
Revise - b iii
use the concept of hydrogen bonding to explain the anomalous property of H2O (ice and water): the density of the solid ice compared with the liquid water
Revise
3.6.2
3.6.3
- a i
describe van der Waals' forces as the intermolecular forces between molecular entities other than those due to bond formation
Revise - a ii
use the term van der Waals' forces as a generic term to describe all intermolecular forces
Revise - b i
describe instantaneous dipole–induced dipole (id–id) forces, also called London dispersion forces, as a type of van der Waals' force
Revise - b ii
describe permanent dipole–permanent dipole (pd–pd) forces, including hydrogen bonding, as a type of van der Waals' force
Revise - c ii
understand that hydrogen bonding is a special case of permanent dipole–permanent dipole forces between molecules where hydrogen is bonded to a highly electronegative atom
Revise
3.6.4
- 3.6.4
state that, in general, ionic, covalent and metallic bonding are stronger than intermolecular forces
Revise
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