A hydrogen bond can form between a hydrogen atom on a(n)
A) electronegative donor group and another electronegative atom.
B) cationic atom and another hydrogen.
C) nonpolar donor group and an electronegative atom.
D) ionic atom and another anion.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hydrogen bonding occurs between a hydrogen atom bonded to a highly electronegative atom (like O, N, or F) and another nearby electronegative atom which can accept a hydrogen bond. This results in a dipole-dipole attraction between the two molecules/atoms. Hydrogen bonding cannot occur between an ionic atom and another anion, as ionic bonds are much stronger than hydrogen bonds and do not allow for the type of partial charge separation that hydrogen bonding requires. Similarly, hydrogen bonding cannot occur between a cationic atom and another hydrogen, as the cation would have a partial positive charge, which would not be attracted to another hydrogen atom's partial positive charge. Nonpolar donor groups are also unable to form hydrogen bonds, as they lack a highly electronegative atom to act as the hydrogen bond donor.

A Hydrogen Bond Can Form Between a Hydrogen Atom on A(n)