Final answer:
Hydrogen can form hydrogen bonds with highly electronegative atoms like nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), and fluorine (F), which are significantly stronger than other dipole-dipole interactions but much weaker than covalent bonds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hydrogen bonds are a specific type of intermolecular forces in which a hydrogen atom interacts to create these bonds. Hydrogen can interact with highly electronegative atoms such as nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), and fluorine (F), forming a strong interaction relative to other intermolecular forces. These highly electronegative atoms have lone pairs of electrons with which the hydrogen atom can interact, forming a hydrogen bond. Though these bonds are much weaker than covalent bonds (about 5 to 10% as strong), they are typically stronger than other intermolecular forces such as dipole-dipole interactions and dispersion forces. The presence of these bonds accounts for many unique properties of substances. For example, in water molecules (H2O), hydrogen bonding is responsible for its high boiling point compared to other similarly sized molecules.