What could the attraction between neighboring water molecules be referred to as? (3 answers)

Question

Intermolecular forces

Intramolecular forces

Hydrogen bonds (my answer)

Electrostatic forces (my answer)

Polar covalent bond ( my answer)

Answer 1

The attraction between neighboring water molecules can be specifically referred to as:

1. Intermolecular forces - This term encompasses all types of forces of attraction between molecules, including hydrogen bonds.

2. Hydrogen bonds - This is the specific type of intermolecular force that occurs between water molecules due to the presence of a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an electronegative atom (oxygen, in this case).

3. Electrostatic forces - While this can refer to any attraction between charged particles, it is not as specific as hydrogen bonds in the context of water molecules. However, you can consider hydrogen bonding as a type of electrostatic attraction due to the dipole-dipole interactions between the polar water molecules.

The following options are not correct in the context requested:

• Intramolecular forces - These are the forces that hold atoms together within a molecule, such as covalent bonds, and do not refer to the attraction between separate molecules.

• Polar covalent bond - This describes the type of bond that occurs within a single water molecule (between hydrogen and oxygen), not between different water molecules.

So, your correct responses would be "Intermolecular forces," "Hydrogen bonds," and potentially "Electrostatic forces," if broadly interpreted. The other two answers are not relevant to the attraction between neighboring water molecules.