Question

Which statement describes the relationship between the attractive forces among particles and the boiling point of a substance?

There is both a correlation and a causal relationship.
There is a causal relationship, but not a correlation.
There is neither a correlation nor a causal relationship.

Answer 1

There is both a correlation and a causal relationship.

Stronger attractive (intermolecular) forces cause molecules to require more energy to separate into the gas phase, so substances with stronger forces have higher boiling points. Examples: hydrogen‑bonding liquids (water, alcohols) boil higher than similar-sized nonpolar molecules; larger polarizable molecules (greater London dispersion) also have higher BPs.