polystyrene question (1 Viewer)

[DepressedPenguino]

What intermolecular force (s) is (are) expected to be present in polystyrene?

 

[seventhroot]

well polystyrene is a polymer and polymers have covalent chemical bonds

 

[DepressedPenguino]

But covalent chemical bonds are not intermolecular forces right?

 

[DepressedPenguino]

I know dispersion forces would be a guarantee but idk if there is another on top of that

 

[seventhroot]

it's an intramolecular force iirc

 

[Fizzy_Cyst]

PS is a funky molecule due to its delocalised electron cloud around the benzene ring, but all it has are carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms, therefore non-polar (no dipole-dipole) also no hydrogen bonding between the molecules as there is no atom with high enough electro negativity.
So, I'd dare say dispersion only

 

[DepressedPenguino]

It may be just dispersion forces then

 

[MaccaFacta]

There are three types of intermolecular forces which are discussed in HSC Chemistry: hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions and van der Waals (aka dispersion forces aka "London forces").

Polystyrene only contains carbon and hydrogen, so there is no possibility of hydrogen bonding (which needs fluorine, oxygen or nitrogen) or dipole-dipole (carbon and hydrogen have very similar electronegativities), so the only possible intermolecular force between polystyrene molecules is van der Waals (aka dispersion forces aka "London forces").

 

[Queenroot]

well polystyrene is a polymer and polymers have covalent chemical bonds

Hahaha omg you're so cute. Pls stop answering HSC questions when you don't know what intermolecular bonding is.

@OP it is dispersion/van der waals

 

[SquareHeartsAdrita]

Hahaha omg you're so cute. Pls stop answering HSC questions when you don't know what intermolecular bonding is.

@OP it is dispersion/van der waals

I can remember some of it

But yeah OP, you should probably listen to Adrita lol

 

[emilios]

don't think it would be dipole-dipole as I have a suspicion that the benzene has no net dipole (non-polar). hydrogen bonding is out of the question (no oxygen, nitrogen or fluorine).

so you're left with dispersion forces

 

[DepressedPenguino]

Yep, only dispersion forces are present