Intermolecular Forces
Intermolecular forces are the attractions between molecules, and they decide melting temperature, boiling temperature, volatility and solubility. These pages separate London forces, permanent dipole-dipole interactions and hydrogen bonding, then apply them to water, to boiling temperature trends and to the choice of solvent.
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 temperature, why ice floats and why water has a high surface tension.
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Boiling Temperature Trends
Revise boiling temperature 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
Edexcel A Level Chemistry · Topic 2 Intermolecular Forces
The whole section on one A4 page: bonds or forces, London forces, permanent dipoles, hydrogen bonds, H₂O, NH₃ and HF, and why water is odd.
Boiling Temperatures and Solvents Map
Edexcel A Level Chemistry · Topic 2 Boiling Temperatures and Solvents
The whole section on one A4 page: chain length, branching, alcohols against alkanes, the hydrogen halides, water as a solvent and other solvents.
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Specification
Every specification point in this topic, in the exam board's own words. Rate how confident you are with each one.
Self-assessment · 21 points
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2
- A.16i
understand the nature of intermolecular forces resulting from the following interactions: London forces (instantaneous dipole – induced dipole)
Revise - A.16ii
understand the nature of intermolecular forces resulting from the following interactions: permanent dipoles
Revise - A.16iii
understand the nature of intermolecular forces resulting from the following interactions: hydrogen bonds
Revise - A.18i
understand the following anomalous properties of water resulting from hydrogen bonding: its relatively high melting temperature and boiling temperature
Revise - A.18ii
understand the following anomalous properties of water resulting from hydrogen bonding: the density of ice compared to that of water
Revise - A.19
be able to predict the presence of hydrogen bonding in molecules analogous to those mentioned above
Revise - A.20i
understand, in terms of intermolecular forces, physical properties shown by materials, including: the trends in boiling temperatures of alkanes with increasing chain length
Revise - A.20ii
understand, in terms of intermolecular forces, physical properties shown by materials, including: the effect of branching in the carbon chain on the boiling temperatures of alkanes
Revise - A.20iii
understand, in terms of intermolecular forces, physical properties shown by materials, including: the relatively low volatility (higher boiling temperatures) of alcohols compared to alkanes with a similar number of electrons
Revise - A.20iv
understand, in terms of intermolecular forces, physical properties shown by materials, including: the trends in boiling temperatures of the hydrogen halides, HF to HI
Revise - A.21i
understand factors that influence the choice of solvents, including: water, to dissolve some ionic compounds, in terms of the hydration of the ions
Revise - A.21ii
understand factors that influence the choice of solvents, including: water, to dissolve simple alcohols, in terms of hydrogen bonding
Revise - A.21iii
understand factors that influence the choice of solvents, including: water, as a poor solvent for compounds (to include polar molecules such as halogenoalkanes), in terms of inability to form hydrogen bonds
Revise - A.21iv
understand factors that influence the choice of solvents, including: non-aqueous solvents, for compounds that have similar intermolecular forces to those in the solvent
Revise
4
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