Properties of Liquids

and the Effect of

Intermolecular Forces
 Properties of Liquids
Surface tension
Viscosity
Vapor pressure
Boiling point
Molar heat of vaporization
Surface tension
•Surface tension is a phenomenon
between liquids and gases. It causes
objects that usually sink due to their
higher density to swim or that paints
achieve good wetting on some and
collect into drops on other surfaces.
•A measure of the inward forces that
must be overcome in order to
expand the surface area of a liquid.
•The greater the forces of attraction
between molecules of the liquid,
the greater the surface tension.
•Surface tension of a liquid
decreases with increasing
temperature.
•The stronger the intermolecular
forces the stronger the surface
tension.
Examples of surface tension
The water strider can walk on
water because the surface
tension of the water can support
its weight.
CAPILLARY ACTION
• Another way surface
tension manifests.
• The rise of liquids up very
narrow tubes.
• This is limited by adhesive
and cohesive forces.
COHESIVE FORCES
•Intermolecular
forces that bind
like molecules to
one another
(e.g. hydrogen
bonding).
ADHESIVE FORCES
•Intermolecular
forces that bind a
substance to a
surface.
• an attraction
between unlike
molecules.
 Formation of
meniscus
Water : adhesive
forces are greater
than cohesive forces

Mercury: Cohesive
are greater than
adhesive forces.
Viscosity
• The resistance of a liquid to flow.
• The greater the viscosity, the slower the liquid flows.
• Viscosity is expressed in units of centipoise.
• Poise or Stoke is a metric system unit. The SI unit is Pascal-
second
(Pa-s) or Newton-second/meter2 (N-s/m 2). 1 centipoise =
0.001 Pa-s
• Viscosity decreases with increasing temperature (molecules
gain kinetic energy and can more easily overcome forces of
attraction).
• Viscosity Increases as pressure increases.
• Liquids with strong Intermolecular forces have a higher
viscosity.
Vapor pressure
•Pressure exerted by molecules that
have enough energy to escape the
surface.
•As Temperature↑, Vapor Pressure
↑, Evaporation ↑
Liquids with high Vapor Pressure are volatile.
(alcohol evaporates easily)

Liquids that have strong Intermolecular forces

have low vapor pressures.
(take a lot of energy to overcome IMF so it can
evaporate)
Boiling point
•The boiling point is the temperature at
which the vapor pressure of a liquid is
equal to the external pressure.
•The boiling point of a liquid is the
temperature at which the liquid
converts into a gas.
•The normal boiling point is the
temperature at which the liquid
converts to a gas when the
external pressure is 1 atm. The
normal boiling point of water is
o
100 C.
Molar heat of vaporization (ΔHvap)
•The molar heat of vaporization (ΔHvap)
is the energy required to vaporize 1
mole of a liquid at a given temperature.
H is the symbol for enthalpy, which
means heat content at a given standard
condition.
 Molar heats of vaporization and
boiling points of selected substances
 Relate molar heat of vaporization to strength
of intermolecular forces
•The heat of vaporization may be considered
a measure of the strength of intermolecular
forces in a liquid.
•If the intermolecular attraction is strong, it
takes a lot of energy to free the molecules
from the liquid phase and the heat of
vaporization will be high.
• It is easier to vaporize acetone (lower Hvap) than
water (higher Hvap) at a given temperature, and
more acetone escapes into the vapor phase at a
given temperature.
• Acetone is a polar substance but has no H-
bonding. It has weaker intermolecular forces
than water, and therefore acetone molecules
are held less tightly to one another in the liquid
phase.
 Relate boiling point to molar heat of
vaporization
• The boiling point is related to molar heat of vaporization:
the higher ΔHvap , the higher the boiling point, as shown in
the table.