Which of the following exhibits the highest boiling point?

HF, HCl, HBr, or HI

Which of the following exhibits the highest boiling point?
CH3CH3, CH3COOH, or CH3OCH3

How can you determine the highest boiling point of these?

To determine the highest boiling point among the given substances, you can consider the concepts of intermolecular forces and molecular weight.

For the first question, which asks about the boiling points of the hydrogen halides (HF, HCl, HBr, and HI), you can compare their intermolecular forces. Intermolecular forces play a crucial role in determining boiling points. These forces include London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, and hydrogen bonding.

Among the hydrogen halides, HF exhibits the highest boiling point. This is because HF can form strong hydrogen bonds due to the large electronegativity difference between hydrogen and fluorine. Hydrogen bonding is stronger than the other intermolecular forces present in HCl, HBr, and HI. As a result, HF has a higher boiling point compared to the other hydrogen halides.

For the second question, which asks about the boiling points of organic compounds (CH3CH3, CH3COOH, and CH3OCH3), you can again consider the intermolecular forces and molecular weights.

Among the given organic compounds, CH3COOH (acetic acid) exhibits the highest boiling point. Acetic acid can form hydrogen bonds due to the presence of a highly polarized O-H bond. Hydrogen bonding is stronger than the London dispersion forces found in CH3CH3 (ethane) and CH3OCH3 (dimethyl ether).

Additionally, molecular weight can influence boiling points. Larger molecules generally have higher boiling points compared to smaller ones because they have more electrons and experience stronger intermolecular forces.

In summary, you can determine the highest boiling point by considering the strength of intermolecular forces (such as hydrogen bonding) and the molecular weight of the substances being compared.