When given different elements and asked for the highest boiling point, do you figure out the molar mass and pick the highest one as the highest boiling point?
No.
How do you determine it then?
You have to consider if it hydrogen-bonds with water. The stronger the H-bonding is, the higher the boiling point will be.
To determine the highest boiling point among different elements, considering their molar mass is generally not sufficient. Boiling points depend on various factors, including intermolecular forces, molecular structure, and polarity. Therefore, comparing molar mass alone may not give you an accurate result.
To identify the element with the highest boiling point, you need to consider the types of intermolecular forces present in each substance. The major intermolecular forces that influence boiling points are:
1. London dispersion forces: These forces are present in all molecules and increase with increasing molar mass. Therefore, larger molecules tend to exhibit stronger dispersion forces, leading to higher boiling points.
2. Dipole-dipole forces: These forces occur in polar molecules where there is a significant difference in electronegativities between atoms. Substances with stronger dipole-dipole forces generally have higher boiling points.
3. Hydrogen bonding: This is a specific type of dipole-dipole interaction that occurs when a hydrogen atom is bonded to a highly electronegative atom (such as oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine). Hydrogen bonding is stronger than typical dipole-dipole forces, resulting in higher boiling points for compounds that exhibit this type of interaction.
By considering these intermolecular forces, you can compare the boiling points of different elements and determine which one has the highest value. It's important to note that there are exceptions and additional factors that may affect boiling points, such as branching in organic compounds or the presence of aromatic rings.