Which intermolecular force is the strongest? Scholars test the relative strength of London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, and induced dipoles using a simulator. The interactive allows learners to pull on paired molecules and observe how much force they need to apply to disrupt the attraction.

Concepts

dipoles, polar molecules, positive charges, negative charges, intermolecular forces

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Assign the interactive and ask the class to draw their own conclusions about the strength of intermolecular forces
• Extend the lesson by having pupils infer how each attractive force affects quantities like boiling point and melting point

Classroom Considerations

• Begin the activity by discussing how induced dipoles form between molecules

Pros

• Interactions between molecules are portrayed in a realistic manner
• Each molecule pair is labeled with the appropriate intermolecular force users observe

Cons

• None