do you agree that HCL is the beast choice for a substance that has both dipersion forces and dipole-dipole forces ?

The choices I have are :
Br2
HCl
H2
CO2
BCl3

HCL is the most sensible answer.
Do you reckon so too?
thanks andy

I agree. Have you studied shape? Br2 is linear (no dipole), H2 is linear (no dipole), CO2 is linear (no dipole) and BCl3 is trigonal planar (no dipole). All of them have dispersion forces, HCl is the only with that is polar (therefore, the only one that could have a dipole).

Wow great!!!

thanks very muchyou are right when you look at the shape in the book...it actually becomes obvious
Andy

To determine the best choice for a substance that has both dispersion forces and dipole-dipole forces, we need to consider the nature of these forces in each given substance. Dispersion forces occur due to temporary fluctuations in electron density, and dipole-dipole forces arise from the attraction between molecules with permanent dipoles.

Let's analyze each option to identify the presence of these forces:

1. Br2: Bromine (Br2) is a nonpolar molecule, meaning it only experiences dispersion forces but lacks permanent dipoles.

2. HCl: Hydrogen chloride (HCl) is a polar molecule with both dispersion forces and dipole-dipole forces. The electronegativity difference between hydrogen and chlorine creates a permanent dipole, making HCl the correct choice.

3. H2: Hydrogen (H2) is a nonpolar molecule since it consists of identical atoms. As a result, it only has dispersion forces but lacks permanent dipoles.

4. CO2: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is also a nonpolar molecule with only dispersion forces, as the symmetry cancels out the individual dipoles of the carbon-oxygen bonds.

5. BCl3: Boron trichloride (BCl3) is a nonpolar molecule since it has a trigonal planar geometry, resulting in a symmetric distribution of charge. Therefore, it only exhibits dispersion forces.

Considering the analysis, HCl is indeed the most reasonable choice as it demonstrates both dispersion forces and dipole-dipole forces.