Which of the following has the weakest bond strength? Choose 1 answer: A Hydrogen bonds B lonic bonds Polar covalent bonds INCORRECT (SELECTED) Non-polar covalent Non-polar covalent bonds are stronger than hydrogen and ionic bonds. They are also slightly stronger than polar covalent bonds.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is A. Hydrogen bonds.
Explanation:
To understand why hydrogen bonds are the weakest among the choices listed, let’s examine each type of bond:
- Hydrogen Bonds: These are the weakest type of bond among the options provided. Hydrogen bonds are a type of dipole-dipole interaction that occurs when a hydrogen atom bonded to a highly electronegative atom (like oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine) is attracted to another electronegative atom in a different molecule. They are significantly weaker than covalent and ionic bonds, usually ranging from 5 to 30 kJ/mol in strength. This weakness arises because they are largely electrostatic attractions rather than the sharing or transfer of electrons seen in covalent and ionic bonds.
- Ionic Bonds: These are formed through the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions. Ionic bonds are generally quite strong, typically around several hundred kJ/mol. This strength is due to the significant charge difference between ions, which creates a strong electrostatic force holding the ions together.
- Polar Covalent Bonds: These bonds occur when two atoms share a pair of electrons unequally, resulting in a molecule with an electric dipole moment. One end of the molecule has a partial negative charge, and the other has a partial positive charge. Although weaker than ionic bonds, polar covalent bonds are stronger than hydrogen bonds because the electron sharing creates a more stable arrangement than the mere electrostatic attraction in hydrogen bonds.
- Non-polar Covalent Bonds: These bonds involve the equal sharing of electrons between atoms. Non-polar covalent bonds can be quite strong, especially in molecules where the bonded atoms have similar electronegativities. Their strength is comparable to polar covalent bonds and can vary widely depending on the atoms involved but are generally considered to be stronger than hydrogen bonds.
Given these descriptions, hydrogen bonds are indeed the weakest type because they lack the electron sharing of covalent bonds and the strong electrostatic forces characteristic of ionic bonds.
Image Visualization:
I will create an image to visually represent the concept of hydrogen bonding in a water molecule, which is a classic example of hydrogen bonding in action.
Generating the image now…
The image illustrating hydrogen bonds in water molecules is shown above. It visually represents how hydrogen atoms of one water molecule are attracted to the oxygen atoms of another, depicted by dashed lines. This helps in understanding the relative weakness of hydrogen bonds compared to other types of chemical bonds.
