Consider the following liquids with similar molar masses.Predict which has the weakest intermolecular attraction based only on boiling point data.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The boiling point is an indication of the strength of intermolecular forces. The higher the boiling point, the stronger the forces of attraction between the molecules. Of the given choices, butane has the lowest boiling point, which indicates that it has weaker intermolecular forces than the other liquids. This is because butane is a nonpolar molecule and only exhibits weak Van der Waals forces between its molecules. The other liquids have polar or hydrogen bonding intermolecular forces, which are stronger than Van der Waals forces, hence they have higher boiling points.

Consider the Following Liquids with Similar Molar Masses