Explaining the High Melting Point of Water

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around understanding the high melting point of water in comparison to other hydrides, specifically focusing on the types of bonding involved. The original poster presents a multiple-choice question regarding the primary reason for this phenomenon.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the nature of bonding in water, questioning the classification of water as a group 4 or group 6 hydride. There is a focus on distinguishing between intermolecular and intramolecular forces, as well as identifying which specific forces contribute to water's melting point.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with participants seeking clarification on the types of bonds relevant to the question. Some guidance has been offered regarding the need to differentiate between intermolecular and intramolecular forces, but no consensus has been reached on the correct answer to the original question.

Contextual Notes

There is a noted confusion regarding the classification of water as a hydride, which may affect the understanding of the question. Participants are encouraged to refer to their chemistry texts for more information on intermolecular attractions specific to water.

andyman20
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Hi..
I've finished this topic but I was confused in this question.

The question is :

The main reason for the high melting point of water compared to other group4 hydrides can be explained by:

a.Ionic Bonding
b.Covalent Bonding
c.Dispersion Forces
d.Hydrogen Bonding

I'm not sure which it is.

Thank you...
 
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First of all, water is not a group 4 hydride - it is a group 6 hydride.

Ask yourself what kind of bonds (inter- or intra-molecular ?) you need to break in order to melt something.

What do you mean by "I've finished this topic" ?
 
yeah..

i know that its one of the intermolecular forces but i can't figure which one it is. How do you figure that out??
THANKS
 
Which of those forces are intermolecular and which ones are intramolecular ?
 
Read up in your chemistry text, on the section intermolecular attractions, it should have a whole section devoted to water specifically...yes it's easy as that
 

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