Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Intermolecular Forces
Intermolecular forces are the attractive forces between molecules that influence physical properties like boiling and melting points. The main types include hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions, and London dispersion forces. Compounds with stronger intermolecular forces generally exhibit higher boiling and melting points due to the increased energy required to overcome these attractions.
Recommended video:
How Van der Waals forces work.
Molecular Weight
Molecular weight refers to the mass of a molecule, which can affect its boiling and melting points. Generally, larger molecules with greater molecular weights have higher boiling and melting points because they have more electrons, leading to stronger London dispersion forces. However, this trend can be influenced by the presence of functional groups and molecular structure.
Recommended video:
Review of Molecular Orbitals
Functional Groups
Functional groups are specific groups of atoms within molecules that determine the chemical properties and reactivity of those molecules. Different functional groups can significantly affect boiling and melting points due to their ability to engage in hydrogen bonding or other interactions. For example, alcohols typically have higher boiling points than hydrocarbons of similar molecular weight due to the presence of hydroxyl (-OH) groups that can form hydrogen bonds.
Recommended video:
Identifying Functional Groups