Ethanol has a higher boiling point than dimethyl ether. Which intermolecular force is primarily responsible for this difference?Group of answer choicesDipole-Dipole ForcesHydrogen bondingIon-Dipole ForcesInduced Dipole (London Dispersion Forces)
Question
Ethanol has a higher boiling point than dimethyl ether. Which intermolecular force is primarily responsible for this difference?Group of answer choicesDipole-Dipole ForcesHydrogen bondingIon-Dipole ForcesInduced Dipole (London Dispersion Forces)
Solution
The primary intermolecular force responsible for the difference in boiling points between ethanol and dimethyl ether is Hydrogen bonding.
Here's why:
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Both ethanol (C2H5OH) and dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3) are polar molecules, meaning they have a positive and negative end, so they both experience dipole-dipole forces.
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However, ethanol also has a hydrogen atom bonded to an oxygen atom. This is a special case where the difference in electronegativity between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms is so great that it leads to a particularly strong type of dipole-dipole force known as hydrogen bonding.
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Hydrogen bonding is stronger than the other types of intermolecular forces, which means it takes more energy (i.e., a higher temperature) to break these bonds and convert the substance from a liquid to a gas.
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Therefore, ethanol has a higher boiling point than dimethyl ether, which does not have hydrogen bonding.
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Ion-dipole forces and induced dipole (London dispersion forces) are not primarily responsible for this difference. Ion-dipole forces occur between ions and polar molecules, but neither ethanol nor dimethyl ether are ions. London dispersion forces are present in all molecules, but they are generally weaker than dipole-dipole forces and hydrogen bonding.
Similar Questions
The intermolecular forces possible between molecules of ethanol are .
Multiple Select QuestionSelect all that applySelect the statements that correctly relate intermolecular forces to physical properties.Multiple select question.For compounds of similar size, the stronger the intermolecular forces, the higher the boiling point.Compounds that can hydrogen bond typically have lower melting points than compounds that exhibit London dispersion forces.For compounds of similar size, the stronger the intermolecular forces, the higher the melting point.
Which of the following is TRUE about alcohols?Group of answer choicesAlcohols have two polar bonds, C-O and O-H with a bent shape.Alcohols have low boiling and melting points.Alcohols are insoluble in organic solvents.Alcohols have weaker intermolecular forces than alkanes and alkenes.
Which of the following statements correctly describes the intermolecular forces present in ethers?Multiple choice question.The intermolecular force between alcohols is weaker than the intermolecular force between ethers.The intermolecular force between ethers is stronger than the intermolecular force between hydrocarbons.
The high solubility of ethanol in water is due to itsA. low boiling pointB. low freezing pointC. covalent natureD. hydrogen bonding
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