Question

What type of bonds are present in molecular crystals?

Answer 1

Molecular crystals are made up of individual molecules held together by intermolecular forces. The bonding between the atoms within each molecule is typically covalent in nature, where electrons are shared between adjacent atoms to form molecular bonds. The intermolecular forces that hold the molecules together in a crystal lattice are weaker than covalent bonds and include London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole forces, and hydrogen bonding. These intermolecular forces arise from the interactions between the partially charged atoms or molecules in the crystal lattice. So, in a molecular crystal, covalent bonds are present within the molecules, while intermolecular forces are present between the molecules.