2. In each of the following pairs of substances, predict which one would have the higher boiling point (if done on this sheet, circle the correct answer): a) He or Ar c) GeH4 or SiH4 e) hexane or heptane b) Ar or N20 d) HF or HCI f) F2 or I2 Solution a) He or Ar: He and Ar are both noble gases and the only kind of intermolecularforces that exist in them are the london dispersion forces.The size of the atom increases as you go down the periodic table, and so will be the number of electrons. As number of electrons increase, the polarizability also increases, resulting in greater London Dispersion forces. So Ar which is down in the group has more london dispersion forces as compared to He and hence will have ahigher boiling. Ar has a higher boiling point. b) NO 2 or Ar: Ar, is a noble gases and the only kind of intermolecularforces that exist in Ar are the london dispersion forces. NO 2 on the other hand has a strong dipole which leads to dipole-dipole interactions along with london dispersion forces. These extra intra-molecuar forces bind NO 2 molecules together, making it difficult to break these bonds, there by leading to a higer boiling point, So NO 2 has higher boiling point. c) GeH 4 orSiH 4: Ge is below Si in the group which means that GeH 4 has more electrons than SiH 4. Therefore GeH 4 has more London dispersion forces and hence needs more energy to break these forces; leading to higher boiling point. GeH 4 has higher boiling point. d) HF or HCl: HF and HCl are both acids of anions from group VII (halides). However Floride is more electroegative comapred to Chloride. Being more electronegative the floirde is very strongly attracted to hydrogen than chloride would do. So it is more diffult to break an HF bond compared to HCl and hence HF has a higher boiling point. .