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Why does CH₄ have a lower boiling point than CCl₄?

a) CH₄ is a larger molecule
b) CH₄ is nonpolar
c) CCl₄ has stronger intermolecular forces
d) CCl₄ is a smaller molecule

User ALOK KUMAR
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

CH₄ has a lower boiling point than CCl₄ due to its nonpolar nature resulting in weaker dispersion forces.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reason CH₄ has a lower boiling point than CCl₄ is that CH₄ is a nonpolar molecule and thus has weaker intermolecular forces compared to CCl₄, which has stronger intermolecular forces due to the larger dispersion forces arising from its greater molar mass and polarizability. The presence of chlorine atoms in CCl₄ also contributes to the larger dispersion forces compared to CH₄, despite CCl₄ being nonpolar, like CH₄.


User BenG
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