Explain why water has a higher boiling point than hydrogen iodide.

Water has a greater boiling point than hydrogen iodide as water has hydrogen bonds, whereas iodine only has permenant dipole-dipole interactions. Hydrogen bonds are stronger than permenant dipole-dipole interactions as the hydrogen is attacthed to a highly electronegative atom, and thus creates a large enough dipole to form a hydrogen bond. In hydrogen iodide hydrogen is connected to iodine which is only electronegative to form a dipole that creates permenant dipole-dipole interactions.

As intermolecular forces are stronger in water than hydrogen iodide, more energy is needed to overcome these interactions, thus the boiling point of water is greater.

MJ
Answered by Matthew J. Chemistry tutor

13020 Views

See similar Chemistry A Level tutors

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

Explain why the product of nucleophilic addition of a cyanide ion to the ketone CH3COCH2CH3 shows no optical activity


Predict whether the lattice energy of magnesium oxide, MgO, is more or less exothermic than the lattice energy of magnesium sulfide, MgS. Justify your answer in terms of the sizes and the charges of the ions involved.


What is the difference of SN1 and an SN2 mechanism?


Identify which 2 of the following processes involve an exothermic change: melting, boiling, freezing, deposition and sublimation


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning