Question

The structures below depict molecules of xh3 and yh3 (not drawn to scale), as well as the associated boiling points for each molecule at 1 atm pressure, respectively. one of these substances is phosphine (ph₃), and the other substance is ammonia (nh3). using the models, answer the following questions.

a.PH₃ NH₃
b.PH₂ NH₂
c.PHNH
d.None

Answer 1

The boiling point differences between ammonia and phosphine are mainly due to the ability of ammonia to form stronger hydrogen bonds, with ammonia boiling at -33.34°C.

Step-by-step explanation:

When comparing the boiling points and molecular structures of ammonia (NH3) and phosphine (PH3), we must consider intermolecular forces such as hydrogen bonding. Ammonia has a noticeably higher boiling point than phosphine, which can be attributed to its ability to form hydrogen bonds due to the presence of nitrogen, a highly electronegative atom compared to phosphorus in phosphine.

Ammonia boils at -33.34°C while phosphine boils at much lower temperatures, aligning with the general expectation that molecules with stronger intermolecular forces, like hydrogen bonding, will have higher boiling points.