Van der Waals' Forces and Hydrogen Bonding

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SUMMARY

Van der Waals' forces arise from induced dipoles, while hydrogen bonds are characterized by permanent dipoles. Compounds such as HF exhibit hydrogen bonding due to the significant electronegativity difference between hydrogen and fluorine, whereas HCl primarily demonstrates Van der Waals' forces despite having a polar bond. The distinction between these interactions is not always clear-cut, as some bonds exhibit characteristics of both types. Understanding these nuances is essential for accurately predicting molecular behavior.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of molecular polarity and electronegativity
  • Knowledge of intermolecular forces, specifically hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals' forces
  • Familiarity with chemical bonding concepts
  • Basic grasp of dipole moments and their implications
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the criteria for hydrogen bonding in various compounds
  • Explore the role of electronegativity in determining bond types
  • Study the effects of molecular geometry on intermolecular forces
  • Investigate the applications of Van der Waals' forces in real-world scenarios
USEFUL FOR

Chemistry students, researchers in molecular science, and professionals studying intermolecular interactions will benefit from this discussion.

Priyadarshini
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Induced dipoles result in Van der Waals' forces and permanent dipoles in hydrogen bonds, right? But how do you know is a compound has formed hydrogen bonds or Van der Waals' forces? For example, HF forms hydrogen bonds while HCl forms Van der Waals' forces and not hydrogen bonds. But in HCl, H is delta positive and Cl is delta negative, so shouldn't it form hydrogen bonds? But then when do Van der Waals' forces form?
Thanks.
 
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Those categories don't have a sharp dividing line. Some bonds are very van-der-Waals-like, some are very hydrogen-bond-like, some are somewhere in between.
 
mfb said:
Those categories don't have a sharp dividing line. Some bonds are very van-der-Waals-like, some are very hydrogen-bond-like, some are somewhere in between.
Oh, thanks!
 

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