In a mixture of ethanol and water, the strongest intermolecular force present between the two chemicals is ?
is it hydrogen bond?
yes its hydrogen bonding
To determine the strongest intermolecular force present between ethanol and water, we need to consider the nature of the molecules involved. Both ethanol (C2H5OH) and water (H2O) are polar molecules, meaning they have a slightly positive end and a slightly negative end.
In the case of ethanol, the oxygen atom is more electronegative than the carbon and hydrogen atoms, creating a partial negative charge on the oxygen and a partial positive charge on the carbon and hydrogen atoms. Similarly, in water, the oxygen atom is more electronegative than the hydrogen atoms, resulting in a partial negative charge on the oxygen and partial positive charges on the hydrogen atoms.
The presence of these partial charges allows for the formation of hydrogen bonds, which are attractive forces between the positively charged hydrogen atom of one molecule and the negatively charged atom (oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine) of another molecule. In the case of ethanol and water, the hydrogen bond forms between the hydrogen atom of ethanol and the oxygen atom of water.
Hydrogen bonding is a particularly strong intermolecular force compared to other forces like dipole-dipole interactions or London dispersion forces. It plays a significant role in determining the physical properties of substances, such as boiling point, solubility, and viscosity.
Thus, in a mixture of ethanol and water, the strongest intermolecular force present between the two chemicals is hydrogen bonding.