Question

Why are the dipole-dipole interactions between polar molecules not important in the vapor phase?

Short answer

Dipole-dipole interactions between polar molecules are not important in the vapor phase because the molecules are farther apart compared to solid and liquid phases. The increased distance between molecules significantly reduces the strength of dipole-dipole interactions, due to the inverse square law, \( F \propto \frac{1}{r^2} \), where the force 'F' decreases as the distance 'r' increases. As a result, these interactions have minimal impact on the properties of the substance in the vapor phase.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Dipole-Dipole Interactions

Dipole-dipole interactions are the attractive forces between the positive end of a polar molecule and the negative end of another polar molecule. These interactions occur due to the presence of a permanent dipole moment, which is generated when there is an unequal distribution of electrons between atoms within a molecule.

Phases of Matter and Interactions

In general, there are three phases of matter: solid, liquid, and gas (vapor). The strength of intermolecular interactions, such as dipole-dipole interactions, varies between these different phases. In solid and liquid phases, polar molecules are closely packed together. This close proximity allows for strong dipole-dipole interactions to occur between the molecules, thus impacting the properties of the substance in these phases.

Vapor Phase and Dipole-Dipole Interactions

In the vapor phase, polar molecules are much farther apart from each other compared to solid and liquid phases. The increase in distance between polar molecules in the vapor phase significantly reduces the strength of dipole-dipole interactions. The reason for this reduction in strength is due to the inverse square law, which states that the force between two charges (in this case, the positive and negative ends of polar molecules) is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Mathematically, this is represented as \( F \propto \frac{1}{r^2} \), where F is the force and r is the distance between the charges. As the molecules move farther apart in the vapor phase, the value of 'r' increases, and the force 'F' between the polar molecules decreases significantly.

Conclusion

Dipole-dipole interactions between polar molecules are not important in the vapor phase because the polar molecules are farther apart from each other in this phase. The increase in distance between molecules leads to a significant reduction in the strength of the dipole-dipole interactions due to the inverse square law. As a result, these interactions have a minimal impact on the properties of the substance in the vapor phase.