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Intermolecular Forces

Classifying intermolecular forces (part 3).

In summary, the types of forces which can arise in combinations of charged, neutral, polar, and non-polar molecules are:

  • ion - dipole forces
  • ion - induced dipole forces
  • dipole - dipole forces
  • dipole - induced dipole forces
  • dispersion forces

For a given pair of molecules there may be several types of intermolecular force at work. Dispersion forces act between all molecules. If a pair of molecules are polar, then the dipole-dipole forces will add onto the dispersion forces between the molecules.

The following pages describe each of these types of intermolecular force in more detail and give examples of situations where each type of force is important.

 

< Classifying intermolecular forces (part 2) Ion - dipole forces >