Question

Explain the intermolecular forces present in each of the listed solvents, comparing and ranking them from weakest to strongest. Be specific in your explanations of why each is stronger than the next. Please type your answer!

Hexane, Ethyl Acetate, Acetone, Water, Ethanol, and salt water

Answer 1

Hexane is non polar in nature and have London forces among them.

Ethyl acetate has dispersion I.e London forces and dipole interactions.

Acetone has London dispersion forces and dipole-dipole interactions.

Water has basically hydrogen bonding which is the prime intermolecular force in water.

Ethanol has three type of forces dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonding and London forces.

Salt water has ion-dipole interactions or intermolecular forces.

Weakest force is London forces and strongest is the ionic bonding

The increasing order is as follows

London forces<Dipole-dipole<hydrogen bond< ionic bond