answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

The simplest answer is polarity. As I'm sure you know, both water and ammonia form hydrogen bonds with like molecules. But the critical difference is that water is a polar molecule and has a dipole moment, whereas ammonia is non-polar and does not have a dipole moment. A dipole moment is the result of polar bonds. It is important to note that having polar bonds DOES NOT necessarily make a molecule polar. Imagine that the bonds on a molecule pushes the nucleus in the direction of the bond. In a molecule with all of its bonds evenly spaced and of the same type (Hydrogen to Nitrogen, for example), such as in NH3, all of the bonds cancel each other out. But in a molecule with its bonds unevenly spaced, such as in H2O, the bonds do not cancel each other out, resulting in a dipole moment.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Using intermolecular forces explain why water is a liquid at room temperature but ammonia is a gas.?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Earth Science

Why is water a liquid at room temperature whereas ammonia is a gas at room temperature?

The answer lies in what is know as intermolecular forces. There three basic types: london dispersion forces (which all molecules have), dipole to dipole forces and hydrogen bonding. The stronger these forces the more the molecules have a tendancy to stick together. I listed the forces from weakest to strongest. Since water has hydrogen bonding its intermolecukar forces are the strongest and over powers the atmospheric forces and energies trying to tear the molecules away from eachother. Ammonias intermolecular forces are not strong enough under normal temperature and pressure so the molecules and individual gas molecules.


What is the predominant intermolecular force of methane ammonia nitrogen triflouride?

The predominant intermolecular force in methane is London dispersion forces, in ammonia it is hydrogen bonding, in nitrogen trifluoride it is dipole-dipole interactions.


WHY ammonia has higher boiling point then phosphine?

NH3 exhibits hydrogen bonding in addition to dispersion forces. This significantly increases the intermolecular force, and raises the boiling point. PH3 does not exhibit hydrogen bonding and the dominant intermolecular force holding these molecules together is dispersion forces. (Dispersion forces also known as Van Der Waal Force)


Sulfur dioxide is compartively non ideal at 273K but behaves ideally at 327C.Explain it?

increasing the temperature increases the intermolecular spaces and decreases the intermolecular forces,thus increasing ideality.... so at high temperature of 327c sulphurdioxide is ideal as compared to 273k


As heat is added to a substance undergoing a phase change the temperature remains constant because the energy is being used to?

Overcome intermolecular forces

Related questions

What is the intermolecular ammonia and ammonia?

The intermolecular forces are hydrogen bonding.


How do intermolecular forces determine a substance's state?

If the intermolecular forces are great enough they can hold the molecules together as a liquid. If they are even stronger they will hold the molecules together as a solid. Water has nearly the same mass as methane and ammonia molecules, but the greater molecular forces between water molecules causes the water to be liquid at room temperature, while ammonia and methane, with weaker intermolecular forces, are gases at room temperature.


What are the intermolecular forces in ammonia?

The intermolecular forces in ammonia include hydrogen bonding, which occurs between the hydrogen in ammonia and the lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom of another ammonia molecule. These hydrogen bonds are relatively strong compared to other intermolecular forces and contribute to the higher boiling point of ammonia.


Why do ammonia has higher melting and boiling point than methane?

Ammonia has hydrogen bonding between its molecules, which results in stronger intermolecular forces compared to the weaker van der Waals forces in methane. This leads to the higher melting and boiling points in ammonia than in methane.


Why do ammonia has higher boiling point than methane in terms of intermolecular forces?

it doesn't


Why NH3 is a liquid and PH3 is a gas?

NH3 (ammonia) is a liquid at room temperature due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding that holds ammonia molecules together. PH3 (phosphine) is a gas at room temperature because its intermolecular forces are weaker, resulting in lower boiling point compared to NH3.


What temperature melts a solid?

The temperature at which intermolecular forces push the molecules apart


Why is the boiling point of ammonia lower than bismuthine?

The boiling point of a substance is influenced by its intermolecular forces. Ammonia (NH3) has weaker London dispersion forces compared to bismuthine (BiH3), which has stronger metallic bonding due to bismuth's larger size. This difference in intermolecular forces causes bismuthine to have a higher boiling point than ammonia.


NH3 is easily liquified than HCl explain?

Ammonia (NH3) is easily liquefied compared to hydrogen chloride (HCl) because ammonia has weaker intermolecular forces (hydrogen bonding) compared to the strong dipole-dipole interactions in hydrogen chloride. Weaker intermolecular forces result in easier liquefaction of the gas.


Why does sugar have a stronger intermolecular force than ammonia does?

Sugar has stronger intermolecular forces, such as hydrogen bonding, due to its molecular structure that allows for more interactions between its molecules compared to ammonia. Ammonia, on the other hand, primarily exhibits weaker dipole-dipole interactions.


Which has the strongest intermolecular force NH3 or H20?

Water (H2O) has stronger intermolecular forces than ammonia (NH3) due to hydrogen bonding in water molecules. Hydrogen bonding is a type of intermolecular force that is stronger than the dipole-dipole interactions present in ammonia molecules.


Why is water a liquid at room temperature whereas ammonia is a gas at room temperature?

The answer lies in what is know as intermolecular forces. There three basic types: london dispersion forces (which all molecules have), dipole to dipole forces and hydrogen bonding. The stronger these forces the more the molecules have a tendancy to stick together. I listed the forces from weakest to strongest. Since water has hydrogen bonding its intermolecukar forces are the strongest and over powers the atmospheric forces and energies trying to tear the molecules away from eachother. Ammonias intermolecular forces are not strong enough under normal temperature and pressure so the molecules and individual gas molecules.