Characteristics Of Intermolecular Forces

Intermolecular Forces Intermolecular forces are the result of attractive or repulsive forces between atoms, molecules or ions, primarily as a result of electrostatic attractions; these forces act between discrete molecules. Intermolecular forces are weak forces but without them life as we know it would not be possible: water vapor would not condense into its liquid (or solid forms) if its molecules did not attract each other, and all matter, in fact, would exist as gases. The physical states of matter are commonly defined by their physical characteristics: a solid has a definite volume and shape, a liquid has a definite volume but not a definite shape and a gas has neither a definite volume nor a definite shape. This difference in characteristics …show more content…
In the case of compressibility between gases and liquids, due to the distances between particles being greater in gases, they can be more easily compressed than liquids. Liquids can flow easily due to the weaker inter particle forces but solids cannot due to the strong inter particle …show more content…
They are responsible for physical properties of compounds such as crystal structures, melting points, boiling points, vaporization, viscosity and surface tension, but not the chemical behavior of the three states of matter; when a molecular substance changes states, the atoms within the molecule are unchanged. These properties can therefore be used in identifying an unknown sample by comparing for example its observed melting range with other known compounds. Similarly these properties can be used to determine the purity of a sample (if the range differs it could indicate contamination for