What is the Difference Between Dipole-Dipole and London Dispersion Forces?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between dipole-dipole and London dispersion forces lies in the types of molecules they occur between and their strength. Here are the key differences:
- Dipole-Dipole Forces:
- Occur between polar molecules, which have a slight charge, making their force more similar to ions.
- Result in a stronger bond due to the slight charge.
- Hydrogen bonds, which are the strongest dipole-dipole bonds, occur when hydrogen is directly bonded to fluorine, nitrogen, or oxygen.
- London Dispersion Forces:
- Occur between nonpolar molecules and are extremely weak.
- These forces are spontaneous and can occur in any atom or molecule due to the very brief polarizability of electron fields.
- London dispersion forces are the weakest intermolecular forces.
In summary, dipole-dipole forces occur between polar molecules and result in stronger bonds, while London dispersion forces occur between nonpolar molecules and are extremely weak.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Dipole-Dipole and London Dispersion Forces? Comparative Table: Dipole-Dipole vs London Dispersion Forces
Comparative Table: Dipole-Dipole vs London Dispersion Forces
Here is a table comparing the differences between dipole-dipole and London dispersion forces:
| Property | Dipole-Dipole Forces | London Dispersion Forces |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Attractive forces that occur between polar molecules. | Intermolecular forces that occur between atoms and nonpolar molecules as a result of the motion of electrons. |
| Occurrence | Occur between polar molecules with permanent dipoles. | Occur between all molecules, both polar and nonpolar, due to temporary instantaneous dipoles. |
| Strength | Stronger than London dispersion forces. | Weakest of all intermolecular forces. |
| Nature | Similar to ionic bonds, but much weaker. | Weak and temporary dipoles induced by the motion of electrons. |
| Alignment | Polar molecules align so that the oppositely charged regions of neighboring molecules are close together. | No alignment, as the forces are present in all molecules and are a result of temporary dipoles. |
In summary, dipole-dipole forces occur between polar molecules with permanent dipoles and are stronger than London dispersion forces, which occur between all molecules due to temporary instantaneous dipoles and are the weakest of all intermolecular forces.
Read more:
- Ion Dipole vs Dipole Dipole Forces
- Dipole Dipole vs Dispersion
- Dipole Dipole Interactions vs Hydrogen Bonding
- Bond Dipole vs Molecular Dipole
- Bond Moment vs Dipole Moment
- Electric Dipole vs Magnetic Dipole
- Polarizability vs Dipole Moment
- Polar vs Dipolar Molecules
- Induced Dipole vs Permanent Dipole
- Intermolecular Forces vs Intra-molecular Forces
- Zwitterion vs Dipole
- Ionic vs Electrostatic Interactions
- Dispersion vs Diffusion
- Electrostatic Force vs Gravitational Force
- Magnetic Force vs Electric Force
- Scalar vs Dipolar Coupling
- Electronegativity vs Polarity
- Polar Bonds vs Polar Molecules
- Covalent vs Polar Covalent