Major type of attractive force for Cl2?
dipole-dipole attraction
• ionic bond
• dispersion forces
• hydrogen bond
The major type of attractive force for Cl2 is dispersion forces. Dispersion forces arise from temporary fluctuations in electron distribution that cause temporary dipoles in molecules, leading to attractive forces between them.
The major type of attractive force for Cl2 is dispersion forces.
The major type of attractive force for Cl2 is called dispersion forces, also known as London dispersion forces. To understand why, let's break down each option:
1. Dipole-dipole attraction: This occurs between polar molecules, where there is an uneven distribution of charge. However, chlorine gas (Cl2) is not polar since both chlorine atoms have the same electronegativity, resulting in an equal sharing of electrons. Therefore, dipole-dipole attraction is not the major attractive force for Cl2.
2. Ionic bond: An ionic bond occurs between a metal and a nonmetal. In the case of Cl2, there are two nonmetal atoms (chlorine), so an ionic bond is not present. The Cl2 molecule consists of two chlorine atoms covalently bonded together.
3. Dispersion forces: These forces are caused by temporary fluctuations in electron distribution within molecules. Even though Cl2 does not have a permanent dipole moment, it still has temporary fluctuations in the electron cloud of its chlorine atoms. These fluctuations can create temporary dipoles, which induce dipoles in neighboring molecules, resulting in attractive forces. Dispersion forces are the major attractive force for nonpolar molecules like Cl2.
4. Hydrogen bond: Hydrogen bonding occurs when hydrogen is bonded to a highly electronegative element like oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine. Since Cl2 does not contain hydrogen bonded to an electronegative atom, hydrogen bonding is not relevant for Cl2.
Therefore, the correct answer is dispersion forces (London dispersion forces) as the major type of attractive force for Cl2.