What is the strongest intermolecular force that occurs between methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3)?

A. Dipole-induced dipole attractions
B. Hydrogen bond
C. London dispersion forces
D. Dipole-dipole forces

Is that answer c?

the answer was a

Yes, the answer is C. London dispersion forces.

To arrive at this answer, first, let's understand what each intermolecular force is:

A. Dipole-induced dipole attractions: This occurs when a polar molecule induces a temporary dipole in a nonpolar molecule. However, both methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) are polar molecules, so this force is not the strongest one between them.

B. Hydrogen bond: A hydrogen bond occurs when a hydrogen atom is bonded to a highly electronegative atom (such as N, O, or F) and is attracted to another electronegative atom nearby. In the case of ammonia (NH3), this molecule can form hydrogen bonds due to the presence of a hydrogen atom bonded to nitrogen. However, methane (CH4) does not contain a highly electronegative atom bonded to hydrogen, so it cannot form hydrogen bonds. Hence, hydrogen bonding is not the strongest force between methane and ammonia.

C. London dispersion forces: These forces are also known as Van der Waals forces. London dispersion forces occur in all molecules, whether they are polar or nonpolar. They involve the temporary shifting of electron density, which leads to temporary dipoles in nonpolar molecules. In the case of methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3), both molecules are polar, so they can experience London dispersion forces. However, London dispersion forces are generally weaker than other intermolecular forces.

D. Dipole-dipole forces: Dipole-dipole forces occur when polar molecules are attracted to each other due to the positive and negative ends of their molecular dipoles. Both methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) are polar molecules and can experience dipole-dipole forces. However, dipole-dipole forces are generally stronger than London dispersion forces.

Therefore, based on comparing the strength of these intermolecular forces, the strongest intermolecular force between methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) is London dispersion forces (C).