London dispersion forces, a type of van der Waals interaction, are much weaker than hydrogen bonds. The strength of London dispersion forces varies with the inverse square of the distance between two charged species held within a molecule.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first sentence is true as London dispersion forces are indeed weaker than hydrogen bonds and are a type of van der Waals interaction. The second sentence is false because London dispersion forces actually vary with the inverse sixth power of the distance between two instantaneous dipoles, not the inverse square of the distance between two charged species.

London Dispersion Forces, a Type of Van Der Waals Interaction