Multiple Choice
Which statement best describes the difference between intermolecular forces and intramolecular forces?
109
views
13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces
Intermolecular Forces
Multiple Choice
When two atoms are brought very close together, what typically happens to the potential energy between them?
A
The potential energy decreases, leading to a stable bond.
B
The atoms begin to attract each other more strongly.
C
The potential energy increases sharply due to repulsive forces.
D
The atoms experience no change in potential energy.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that the potential energy between two atoms depends on the balance between attractive and repulsive forces as they approach each other.
At large distances, atoms experience weak attractive forces (like van der Waals forces), causing potential energy to decrease as they come closer.
As atoms get very close, their electron clouds begin to overlap, leading to strong repulsive forces due to electron-electron and nucleus-nucleus repulsion.
This repulsion causes the potential energy to increase sharply at very short distances, preventing the atoms from collapsing into each other.
Therefore, the potential energy curve typically shows a minimum at an optimal bond distance, where attraction and repulsion balance, and then rises steeply if atoms are pushed closer than this distance.
Related Videos
Related Practice
