Question

Water (H₂O) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) are both polar molecules. Which of the following statements are true about the attractions between water and hydrogen fluoride when they are mixed together? Choose the two statements that apply. (Hint: In HF, the F atom attracts the shared electron more than the H atom.)

a) Hydrogen bonding occurs
b) Dipole-dipole interactions occur
c) London dispersion forces occur
d) Ion-dipole interactions occur

Answer 1

Water and hydrogen fluoride mix to exhibit hydrogen bonding and dipole-dipole interactions due to the attraction between the polarized molecules.

Step-by-step explanation:

When water (H₂O) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) are mixed together, the attractions between them include hydrogen bonding and dipole-dipole interactions. Hydrogen fluoride, with its highly polarized H-F bond, is stabilized in water through hydrogen bonds where the hydrogen of HF attracts the oxygen of an adjacent water molecule. These intermolecular forces not only stabilize the HF molecular dipole but also can lead to the dissociation process where HF forms a hydronium ion (H3O⁺) and a fluoride anion (F⁻). Additionally, dipole-dipole interactions occur due to the electrostatic attraction between the positive and negative ends of these polar molecules.