Intermolecular Forces

You have learned that hydrogen bonds are very strong intermolecular forces which occur
between hydrogen and a strongly electronegative element from a neighboring molecule. Hydrogen
bonds require additional energy to break molecules apart, thus affecting the properties of molecules
because they hold them together very tightly. This creates trends in groups on the periodic table where
hydrogen bonding is present. In this activity, you will investigate the trends in melting points and boiling
points for molecules involving elements in groups 14, 15, 16, and 17 on the periodic table to determine
how hydrogen bonds affect the properties of those molecules.
Group 14
Molecule
CH4
SiH4
GeH4
SnH4

Group 15
Melting point
-182.48
-185
-165
-150

Boiling point
-164
-111.8
-88.5
-52

Group 16
Molecule
H2O
H2S
H2Se
H2Te

-150

Molecule
NH3
PH3
AsH3
SbH3
BiH3

Melting point
-77.7
-133.5
-113.5
-88.5
Unstable

Boiling point
-33.35
-87.4
-55
-17
22

Melting point
-83.1
-114.8
-88.5
-50.8

Boiling point
19.54
-84.9
-67.0
-35.38

Group 17
Melting point
0
-85.5
-60.4
-49

Boiling point
100
-60.7
-41.5
-2

Molecule
HF
HCl
HBr
HI

1. Graph the melting points for each group on the graphs below.
Group 14
-50

-162

-75

-175

-100

-184

-125

-200

-150

Group 15

Group 16

Group 17

25

-25

-12

-50

-31

-75

-50

-100

2. Graph the boiling points for each group on the graphs below.
Group 14

Group 15

-50

-50

-88

-75

-125

-100

-168

-125

-200

-150

Group 16

Group 17
25

100

-6

68

-37

12

-64

-31

-100

-75

3. Answer the following questions about the graphs.

a. What type of bonds exist in each group (ionic, polar covalent, nonpolar covalent)?
Group 14

_________________________________

Group 15

_________________________________

Group 16

_________________________________

Group 17

_________________________________

b. Do any of the molecules seem to be an exception to the trend for melting points? If so, list
them here: ______________________________________________________________________
c. Do any of the molecules seem to be an exception to the trend for boiling points? If so, list
them here: ______________________________________________________________________
d. Why are these molecules exceptions? _____________________________________________
e. Why is CH4 not an exception? ___________________________________________________
f. How do hydrogen bonds affect the melting point of molecules in these groups?
________________________________________________________________________________
g. How do hydrogen bonds affect the boiling point of molecules in these groups?
________________________________________________________________________________