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Carbon dioxide exists as a simple molecule - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry - Question 2 - 2019 - Paper 3
Question 2
Carbon dioxide exists as a simple molecule. Why do simple molecules have low boiling points? A. Simple molecules have weak covalent bonds between atoms. B. Simple... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Carbon dioxide exists as a simple molecule - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry - Question 2 - 2019 - Paper 3
Step 1
Why do simple molecules have weak intermolecular forces between the molecules?
Answer
Simple molecules, such as carbon dioxide, have low boiling points due to weak intermolecular forces. These forces, primarily van der Waals forces (or London dispersion forces), are significantly weaker than covalent bonds. As a result, less energy is required to separate the molecules during the phase transition from liquid to gas. This is why simple molecules, characterized by their low boiling points, can exist as gases at room temperature.