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Which of the following describes hydrogen bonding?

A) Sharing of electrons between atoms
B) Attraction between positively charged ions
C) Weak electrostatic attraction between hydrogen and electronegative atoms
D) Covalent bonding between hydrogen atoms

User Andrewm
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

Hydrogen bonding is correctly described as a weak electrostatic attraction between a hydrogen atom bonded to an electronegative atom and a lone pair of electrons on a neighboring molecule. It's stronger than typical dipole-dipole interactions but much weaker than a covalent bond.

Step-by-step explanation:

The description of hydrogen bonding that best fits is C) Weak electrostatic attraction between hydrogen and electronegative atoms. Hydrogen bonding is an intermolecular or sometimes intramolecular attractive force where a hydrogen atom, covalently bonded to a small, highly electronegative atom such as oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine, is attracted to a lone pair of electrons on a neighboring molecule.

This enables the formation of a special type of dipole-dipole interaction that is stronger than other dipole interactions, but still far weaker than a covalent bond, being approximately only 5% as strong as a typical covalent bond.

User Quercus
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