Question
Question: How would you describe the intermolecular forces between \( {H_2}\,molecules \) and \( N{H_3}\,molec...
How would you describe the intermolecular forces between H2molecules and NH3molecules in the liquid phase?
Solution
To describe the intermolecular forces between both the given elements molecules, we have to go through the whole concept of intermolecular forces dependency. We will discuss more about it.
Complete step by step solution:
Dispersion forces operate in liquid dihydrogen.
And the low magnitude of such forces result in an exceptionally low boiling point. On the other hand, ammonia, NH3, is a heavier molecule, with more electrons, and thus should have an intrinsically higher boiling point.
And yet there is another more potent intermolecular force that operates in ammonia (as it does in water), that of hydrogen bonding. Because nitrogen is more electronegative than hydrogen, we could represent the resultant dipole as −δNH3δ+. The dipoles line up, and this results in a normal boiling point of −33.3∘C.
This boiling point is high for such a small molecule. The normal boiling point of water, 100∘C, is also anomalously high, and here hydrogen bonding also operates extensively, and elevates the boiling point.
And ammonia is thus a water like solvent that is extensively used in inorganic chemistry. The reaction of sodium in liquid ammonia, to give an intensely blue solution, is something to see.
Note:
The intermolecular forces depend on the following interactions: (1.) Dipole-Dipole Interactions Dipole-dipole interactions are attractive forces among polar molecules. Polar molecules have permanent dipoles that are formed due to differences in the electro-negativities of the atoms that are associated with a covalent bond.