Which one of the following DO NOT have a tendency to form hydrogen bonding?

Correct answer: D. Hydrocarbon

  • A. Ammonia
  • B. Ethyl alcohol
  • C. Carboxylic acids
  • D. Hydrocarbon

Explanation

Hydrocarbons, which include alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes, do not form hydrogen bonds because they consist solely of carbon and hydrogen atoms without any highly electronegative elements like nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine. The C-H bonds in hydrocarbons are relatively nonpolar, meaning there is no significant dipole moment to facilitate hydrogen bonding. As a result, the predominant intermolecular forces in hydrocarbons are van der Waals forces (London dispersion forces), which are much weaker than hydrogen bonds. This leads to lower boiling and melting points compared to substances capable of hydrogen bonding.

This question appeared on the UHS MDCAT 2024 paper, which you can sit online with every answer explained.

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About Hydrogen Bonding

Hydrogen bonding is the strong attraction between hydrogen attached to nitrogen, oxygen or fluorine and an electronegative atom in the same or another molecule. It explains unusual boiling points, viscosity, surface tension, water's properties and the difference between intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonding.

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