15/07 Lecture 1 - Intra/Intermolecular Forces I

Intermolecular force

This is a force between molecules, with low energy

Intramolecular force

This is a force within molecules, with high energy

Dispersion forces

These are short-lived and weak forces present in all molecules, the only force in non-polar molecules, and arise from instantaneous dipole formation

Dipole-dipole interactions

These are temperature-dependent forces present in polar molecules, containing a permanent dipole due to the different in atoms’ inside the molecules’ electronegativity which interact with permanent dipoles

Polarisability

This refers to the ability for a molecule to form instantaneous dipoles, i.e. the squishiness of the electron cloud