Describe the attractive and repulsive forces that exist between two atoms as the atoms move closer togther.
Attractive or repulsive interactions that occur between all atoms and molecules. Intermolecular forces become significant at molecular separations of about 1 nanometer or less, but are much weaker than the forces associated with chemical bonding. They are important, however, because they are responsible for many of the physical properties of solids, liquids, and gases. These forces are also largely responsible for the three-dimensional arrangements of biological molecules and polymers.
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The force is repulsive when the molecules are brought close enough together that the outer charge clouds of the molecules touch, and this causes the molecules to repel each other. The repulsive forces are necessary so that the molecules do not destroy each other.
The forces that bring molecules together are called forces of attraction. These forces include cohesion, the attraction of like molecules, and adhesion, the attraction of unlike molecules. Attractive forces are divided into two groups: strong forces and weak forces. The weak forces of attraction are: Van der Waals forces, Ion-dipole forces, and Hydrogen bonds. The strong forces include the Ionic and Covalent bonds.
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As two atoms move closer together, several forces come into play:
1. Attractive forces: These forces are responsible for bringing atoms closer to each other. They include:
a. London dispersion forces: These forces occur due to temporary fluctuations in electron distribution around atoms. Even though atoms may not have a permanent charge, at any given moment, there can be a slight imbalance in electron distribution which creates temporary dipoles. These temporary dipoles influence neighboring atoms, leading to attractive forces between them.
b. Dipole-dipole forces: These forces occur between atoms or molecules with permanent dipoles. A permanent dipole is created when there is an electronegativity difference between atoms in a molecule. This difference leads to a partial positive charge on one atom and a partial negative charge on another, resulting in attractive forces between them.
c. Hydrogen bonding: This is a specific type of dipole-dipole interaction that occurs when hydrogen is bonded to a highly electronegative atom (such as oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine). The hydrogen atom develops a weak positive charge, while the electronegative atom develops a partial negative charge. This creates a strong attraction between the hydrogen atom of one molecule and the electronegative atom of another molecule.
2. Repulsive forces: These forces act to keep atoms apart and prevent them from getting too close. They include:
a. Electron-electron repulsion: As atoms get closer together, their electron clouds start to overlap. Electrons are negatively charged, so the electron clouds repel each other. This repulsion prevents the atoms from getting too close.
b. Nuclear-nuclear repulsion: Once the electron clouds start to overlap, the positively charged nuclei of the atoms also start to come closer. Since like charges repel, the positive charges of the nuclei repel each other, exerting a repulsive force between the atoms.
In summary, as two atoms move closer together, attractive forces (such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole forces, and hydrogen bonding) bring them closer, while repulsive forces (electron-electron repulsion and nuclear-nuclear repulsion) act to keep them apart. The balance between attractive and repulsive forces determines the equilibrium distance between the atoms.
When two atoms move closer together, the attractive and repulsive forces between them come into play. These forces determine the stability and behavior of molecules and solids.
Attractive forces:
1. Van der Waals forces: These are weak attractive forces that arise due to temporary fluctuations in electron distribution around an atom. They are present in all atoms and molecules, regardless of their charge or polarity.
2. Dipole-dipole interactions: These occur between polar molecules with permanent dipoles. The positive end of one molecule is attracted to the negative end of another molecule, creating an attractive force.
Repulsive forces:
1. Electron-electron repulsion: As the two atoms move closer together, the electron clouds of each atom start to overlap. Since electrons possess negative charge, they repel each other, causing a repulsive force that opposes the atoms' approach.
2. Pauli exclusion principle: This principle states that no two electrons can occupy the same quantum state simultaneously. Therefore, as the atoms get closer, the repulsive forces between electrons increase substantially.
It's important to note that the balance between attractive and repulsive forces determines the equilibrium distance between atoms, known as the bond length. At this distance, the net force is zero, and the atoms are held together by a stable bond.