(True or False) Wax is nonpolar, yet it exists as a solid at room temperature. Its solidity is best explained by the presence of dispersion forces.
I would answer false. I think the major reason is the molar mass is high enough. Gases have low molar mass, solids have a higher molar mass and liquids are somewhere between. This not an irrefutable rule but it generally is true.
false
I agree with Dr.Bob222, it's false!
True. Wax is nonpolar, consisting mostly of long hydrocarbon chains. Despite being nonpolar, it exists as a solid at room temperature due to the presence of intermolecular forces called dispersion forces, also known as London forces.
Dispersion forces are the result of temporary fluctuations in electron density within a molecule. These fluctuations can create temporary dipoles, leading to the attraction or temporary dipole-induced dipole forces between molecules. In the case of wax, the long hydrocarbon chains allow for a large surface area, facilitating more opportunities for these temporary dipoles to form and induce dipoles in neighboring molecules.
The strength of dispersion forces depends on the size and shape of the molecules involved. In wax, the long hydrocarbon chains allow for more extensive contact between molecules, leading to stronger dispersion forces. These forces are relatively weak compared to other intermolecular forces such as hydrogen bonding or dipole-dipole interactions. However, when present in sufficient numbers, they can contribute to the solid state of nonpolar substances like wax at room temperature.