Physical Science

Quarter 3 – Module 6:
Effect of Intermolecular Forces
on the Properties of Substances
Physical Science – Grade 11
Quarter 3 – Module 6: Effect of Intermolecular Forces on the Properties of Substances
First Edition, 2020

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Physical Science
Quarter 3 – Module 6:
Effect of Intermolecular Forces
on the Properties of Substances
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to
manage their own learning at home. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage
and assist the learners as they do the tasks included in the module.

For the learner:

As a learner, you must learn to become responsible of your own learning. Take
time to read, understand, and perform the different activities in the module.

As you go through the different activities of this module be reminded of the

following:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the
module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer Let Us Try before moving on to the other activities.
3. Read the instructions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are done.

If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not
hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are not
alone. We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning
and gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!

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 Let Us Learn

This module was designed for you, the learners. It is to facilitate you to learn
the appropriate knowledge and skills as you go through a series of worthwhile
activities. The lessons are arranged sequentially in this course to ease understanding
and mastery. The parameter of this module gives you an idea on how to explain and
relate intermolecular forces on the properties of substance in real-life situations.
After going through this module, you are expected to:

• Explain the effects of intermolecular forces on the properties of substance.

Specifically, you will:

1. explain how intermolecular forces relate to the observable properties

of different substance; and,
2. relate intermolecular forces in the real-life scenario.

Let Us Try!

Read the questions carefully. Choose the best answer and write this on a separate
paper.

1. How does intermolecular forces affect the melting/boiling point of a

substance?
A. It takes longer for a substance to reach its melting point when the
intermolecular forces are weak.
B. It takes longer for a substance to reach its melting point when the
intermolecular forces are strong.
C. It takes longer for a substance to reach its boiling point when the
intermolecular forces are weak.
D. It takes longer for a substance to reach its melting and boiling point when
the intermolecular forces are strong.

2. Which of the following show/s how intermolecular forces affect properties of

different substances?
A. Soaps and detergents help lessen the surface tension of water to
increase water absorption.
B. Leaf cuticles store water in the leaf surface.
C. Oil floats on water.
D. Both A and B

1
 3. Geckskin™ is a new super-adhesive based on the
mechanics of gecko feet. It is so powerful that can easily
attach and detach everyday objects yet can be easily
Photo Credit: Gupta 2018)
released without leaving any residue. What effect of
intermolecular forces explains the mechanism of this
product?
A. Vapor pressure
B. Surface tension
C. Solubility
D. Viscosity

4. What happens to the vapor pressure as you increase the strength of

intermolecular forces of attraction? The vapor pressure _________________.
A. decreases C. increases
B. remains the same D. cannot be determined

5. Which of the following IS NOT influenced by the type of intermolecular forces?

A. Viscosity C. Density
B. Solubility D. Weight

Let Us Study

Have you ever wondered why you can swim easily in the sea compared to
river? Why chocolate melt in your hands while holding it? why there are water droplet
remains in the leaf after a rain? Or why sugar completely dissolves in water? These
are just some of the questions that shall be discussed in detail in this module.

You’re cleaning the house and you accidentally broke your favorite cup. You
searched and collected different kinds of adhesives to place it back to its original
form. If you decided on a weaker adhesive, it won’t take a lot of force for the cup to
break again. However, using a stronger adhesive would need a much additional force
to break the bond.

What are the effects of intermolecular forces on the properties

of substance?
Intermolecular forces are the same as adhesives, it holds the cup together,
just like molecules are being grouped together by intermolecular forces. There are
many types of intermolecular forces, there are strong and weak forces. The stronger
the intermolecular force, the more energy is needed to break the molecules apart.
Therefore, the substance properties rely on the strength and type of their
intermolecular forces.

There are many properties that depends on intermolecular forces. These are:

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 1. Stable phase, Boiling point, and Melting point
2. Enthalpies of phase transition
3. Vapor pressure
4. Surface tension
5. Solubility and miscibility of different substance
6. Viscosity
7. Density

Stable phase, Boiling point, and Melting point

Phases in Room Temperature

When molecules have a strong attraction of

intermolecular force, it forms a pack that is very
closed each other (Figure 1). As a result, it occurs as
condensed phase (Solid) at room temperature (Ice
cube). When the molecules are much less dense and
have lesser attraction force, it forms liquid phase
(liquid) (Water in glass). When molecules have a
weaker attraction of intermolecular force, molecules
are far apart from each other, forming a gas phase
(gas) at room temperature (steam).
Figure 1. Phases of Matter
Melting Point
Melting point is the temperature at which
the substance changes from solid to liquid.
Stronger attraction of intermolecular forces
means higher amount of energy required to
break the attractive forces between molecules.
Substance with stronger intermolecular forces
of attraction have higher melting points
compared to weak Intermolecular Forces of
Attraction or IMFA. Chocolate is an example of
having a weak attraction of intermolecular
Figure 1. Melting Ice Cream & Chocolate forces by which it easily melts in a normal body
temperature (Figure 2).
Boiling Point

It is the temperature at which the vapor pressure

becomes equal to the pressure exerted on the surface of
the liquid. It is also the change of physical phase of a
substance from liquid to gas. It is similar to melting
point, by which the stronger the intermolecular forces
mean greater amount of energy is required to break the
attractive force. A very common example is when you are
heating a water for a cup of coffee, waiting for the time
where bubbles are starting to pop-up and produces
steams from the water (Figure 3). Figure 3. Molecules in Steam &
Boiling Water
Enthalpies of Phase Transition

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 Intermolecular forces are weak interactions between particles. The forces
decreases as you go from solid to liquid to gas. Recall that gas particles have the
highest degree of freedom (spaces between molecules) of movement and negligible or
weak intermolecular forces. You should be familiar with the 6 phases transition
described on the next page (Figure 4).

1. Melting: The transition from the

solid to the liquid phase
2. Freezing: The transition from the
liquid phase to the solid phase
3. Evaporating: The transition from the
liquid phase to the gas phase
4. Condensing: The transition from the
gas phase to the liquid phase
5. Sublimation: The transition from the
solid phase to the gas phase
6. Deposition: The transition from the
gas phase to the solid phase

Figure 4. Enthalpy of System

It should be noticed that the majority of matter in the universe is in a fourth state,
the plasma state. A plasma is a high energy gas with free moving positive ions and
electrons flowing around, for example the stars, which is in the plasma phase.

Vapor Pressure
It is an amount of pressure (force per unit area) applied by a gas above any
liquid in a sealed container. Vapor pressure is a liquid property based on the strength
of the intermolecular force. A liquid with stronger intermolecular force will not
evaporate quickly and has a lower vapor pressure. However, for liquid with weak
intermolecular force evaporates more easily and quicky thus having high vapor
pressure.

For instance, diethyl ether is a nonpolar fluid with weak dispersion force were
its vapor pressure at 20°C is 58.96 kPa (Figure 5). Water is a polar fluid whose atoms
are pulled into each other by moderately strong hydrogen bonding. The vapor
pressure of water at 20°C is only 2.33 kPa, far less than that of diethyl ether.

Figure 6. Vapor Pressure

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Surface Tension
It is the tendency of a liquid to attain the smallest possible surface area.
Molecules with stronger intermolecular forces will apply stronger cohesive forces and
acquire less surface area (Higher surface tension)
compared to weak IMFA. It is also the resistance of a
liquid to spread out and increase its surface area.

For example, beading of a rain water from a leaf

surface. Water sticks weakly to wax and strongly to
itself, so water clusters into drops. Surface tension gives
its near-spherical shape, which has the smallest
possible surface area to volume ratio. Figure 6. Surface Tension on a
“Gabi” Leaf

Solubility
It refers to the ability of a material to dissolve in a
specified amount of solvent at a particular temperature.
Remember! “Like dissolves like”. When the solute and
solvent have the same intermolecular forces of
attraction, they form solution. In Figure 7, oil and water
did not mix up resulting to heterogenous mixture, same
as the water and sand mixture. Unlike in the middle set-
(a) (b)
up, the solute is slowly dissolving over time; thus,
Figure 7. Oil & Water Mixture (a) resulting to homogeneous mixture.
Water & Sand (b)

Viscosity
It is the measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow. Molecules with stronger
intermolecular forces have higher resistance to flow.
(a) (b)
The viscosity of a liquid is determined by
intermolecular forces preset in the liquid, shape, size
and temperature. As the temperature increases, the
molecules move more quickly and overcome the forces
that hold them together; resulting to decrease of
viscosity. Figure 8 shows a comparison between
vegetable oil and honey. Oil flows more quickly than Figure 7. Viscosity of Honey (a)
to honey. In addition, the more structurally complex and Oil (b)
the molecules in a liquid, the stronger the
intermolecular forces present.

Density
It is a measure of the mass in a unit volume (density = m/V) .
The solid phase is often the densest phase. Thus, this can be
explained by the strong intermolecular forces found in a solid.
These forces pull the molecules together which results in more
molecules in one-unit volume than in the liquid or gas phases.
The more molecules in a unit volume the denser that substance
Figure 8. Ice Floats in
Water will be.

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 Let Us Practice

Activity 1: Find Me!

Answer the word search puzzle and check how much you remembered. Find
and encircle the correct answer. Write the answer on the provided questions below.

R Y N M R E H D F B O F Q J J
C A T O L E R M P Z R V N F C
Q B L I I R S U E J A S P O C
N D P U S S N I S L L E N R Y
N Z D M C O N J S S T K D C T
S W J F A E C E Z T E I N E O
O O S I S H L S T F A R N S Y
V N L C B U R O I N Z N P G T
A V C U M Y R X M V I T C J I
P A W L B H F F R R K R Q E S
O V T H D I S B A T E G T D N
R L C L X Z L K H C A T O M E
G N I L I O B I L S E U N O D
L C J F F Q J O T M J Y V I X
M M R F I E J F P Y W E K D A

Questions:
1. __________ is a measure of the mass in a unit volume in which forces pull the
molecules together in solid which results in more molecules in one-unit
volume than in the liquid or gas phases.
2. Water sticks weakly to wax and strongly to itself so that water clusters into
drops because of ________________.
3. Intermolecular forces decrease as you go from solid to liquid to gas. The
_________ particles have the highest degree of freedom (spaces between
molecules) of movement and negligible or weak intermolecular forces.
4. Substance with stronger intermolecular forces of attraction have higher
________________ point compared to weak IMFA.
5. Similar to melting point, ___________________ point is the temperature at
which the vapor pressure becomes equal to the pressure exerted on the
surface of the liquid.
6. The _______________________ explain the physical properties of substances.
The stronger the force, the more difficult it is to pull molecules away from
each other.
7. A liquid with stronger intermolecular force will not evaporate quickly and
has a lower _______________________.
8. The __________________ is the ability of a material to dissolve in a specified
amount of solvent at a particular temperature.

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 9. Molecules with stronger intermolecular forces have higher ____________ to
flow.
10. As the temperature increases, the molecules move more quickly and
overcome the forces that hold them together; resulting to decrease of
________________.

Let Us Practice More

Activity 2: Let’s Bond In!

Are you tired of reading, and answering your assignments? Let’s take a
break and have EXPERIMENT TIMAH! This experiment will be done in your
own house. Chill, the materials are cheaper and readily available. Reminders!
Let somebody accompany you when doing the experiment. It is better to ask
an assistance to your parents or older brother or sister for safety and better
results.
Figure 9 is the product of the activity. Now, are
you curious? Let’s start! The activity is called Let’s
bond in! You will need 4 plastic cups (transparent),
white-colored table sugar, 3 different types food
coloring or something that will change the color of the
water, spoon for mixing and, a tap water (you can also
consider hot water for faster dilution process).

What to do? Figure 9. Output

Step 1. Prepare 3 plastic cups with half-filled

tap or hot water (Be careful on handling the
hot water) and one empty plastic cup.
Designate 3 different colors in each plastic
cup (see figure 10).

Step 2. Get the

Figure 10. Materials white-colored
table sugar. Do
not add anything on the 1st cup. For the 2nd cup,
add 1 spoon-full table sugar. For the 3rd cup,
add 2 spoon-full table sugar, and 4-spoon full
table sugar in the 4th cup. Mix it well until no
table sugar will be remained (see Figure 11).

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 Figure 11. Varying concentrations of
Step 3. Add a small amount of food coloring in sugar
the mixture. The three mixture must have three
distinct different colors (Figure 3.).

Step 4. Get your empty container and add the 4-

spoon full table sugar mixture. Then add SLOWLY the
2-spoon full table sugar mixture. Add more until color
separation is clearly seen. Then, add the last mixture
slowly and observe what happen.

Figure 12. Experimental

Output

REMINDER! After the observation, clean up the used plastic cups with soap
and water. Throw the mixture into the sink and observe proper disposal for
the other materials that was used in the activity.

After learning about the effects of the intermolecular forces on a

substance, it is now your turn to explain the result of the experiment that you
have performed earlier. Your task is to redo the experiment. Rearrange the
sequence of the solution 3 times. Observe and describe what happens to the
solution.

Explanation
Trails Observations
The sequence of the trails
E.g. 5 spoon full + 2 spoon The colors did not has ascending density.
full + 1 spoon full mix up That is why it did not mix
up.

4 spoon full + 2 spoon full +

1 spoon full
1 spoon full + 4 spoon full +
2 spoon full
4 spoon full + 1 spoon full +
2 spoon full

How was the experiment? Is it cool? I hope that you performed the
experiment well. The knowledge you gained will be used in the future.
Therefore, remember what you have learned and continue discovering as we
continue reading in this module.

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 Let Us Remember

Through this module, you have learned the following important concepts about
the effects of intermolecular forces on the properties of substance.

• The stronger the intermolecular forces of a molecule, the more difficult to

turn the substance in solid phase to liquid phase. The weaker the IMFA,
the molecules are more distant and in gas phase.
• In solubility, ssubstances of like intermolecular forces mix. When the solute
and solvent have the same intermolecular forces of attraction, they form
solution.
• Substances with stronger intermolecular forces of attraction have higher
melting/boiling points compared to weak IMFA.
• Molecules with stronger intermolecular forces will apply stronger cohesive
forces and acquire less surface area (Higher surface tension) compared to
weak IMFA in terms of surface tension.
• Molecules with stronger intermolecular forces have higher resistance to
flow.
• The more molecules in a unit volume the denser that substance will be.

Let Us Assess

Read the questions carefully. Choose the best answer and write it on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following show/s how intermolecular forces affect properties of

different substances?
A. Soaps and detergents help lessen the surface tension of water to
increase water absorption.
B. Leaf cuticles store water in the leaf surface.
C. Oil floats on water.
D. Both A and B

2. How does intermolecular forces affect the melting/boiling point of a

substance?
A. It takes longer for a substance to reach its melting point when the
intermolecular forces are weak.
B. It takes longer for a substance to reach its melting point when the
intermolecular forces are strong.
C. It takes longer for a substance to reach its boiling point when the
intermolecular forces are weak.
D. It takes longer for a substance to reach its melting and boiling point when
the intermolecular forces are strong.

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3. What happens to the vapor pressure as you increase the strength of
intermolecular forces of attraction? The vapor pressure _________________.
A. decreases C. increases
B. remains the same D. cannot be determined

4. Which of the following IS NOT influenced by the type of intermolecular forces?

A. Viscosity C. Density
B. Solubility D. Weight

5. Geckskin™ is a new super-adhesive based on the

mechanics of gecko feet. It is so powerful that can easily
attach and detach everyday objects yet can be easily
Photo Credit: Gupta 2018)
released without leaving any residue. What effect of
intermolecular forces explains the mechanism of this
product?
A. Vapor pressure C. Solubility
B. Surface tension D. Viscosity

6. Which of the following is not a phase transition?

A. Melting C. Boiling
B. Condensation D. Transforming

7. Like dissolve like refers to which properties of substance?

A. Viscosity C. Boiling point
B. Solubility D. Vapor pressure

8. What happens to the boiling point as you increase the strength of

intermolecular forces of attraction? The boiling point _________________.
A. decreases C. increases
B. remains the same D. cannot be determined

9. The more structurally complex the molecules in a liquid the stronger the
intermolecular forces present. Which of the following explains the effect of
IMFA on properties of substance?
A. Viscosity C. Boiling point
B. Solubility D. Melting point

10. What property of a substance explains the effect of IMFA on the temperature
at which the vapor pressure becomes equal to the pressure exerted on the
surface of the liquid?
A. Surface tension C. Boiling point
B. Solubility D. Melting point

11. Which phase of matter has the strongest intermolecular force of attraction?
A. Solid C. Liquid
B. Gas D. Steam

12. Which of the following describes the tendency of a liquid to attain the smallest
possible surface area?
A. Fluidity C. Viscosity
B. Solubility D. Surface tension

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 13. Which of the following refers to the measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow?
A. Solubility C. Viscosity
B. Density D. Evaporation

14. Which of the following describes the amount of pressure (force per unit area)
applied by a gas above any liquid in a sealed container?
A. Vapor pressure C. Boiling point
B. Melting point D. Density

15. Which of the following is a measure of the mass in a unit volume?

A. Surface tension C. Boiling point
B. Viscosity D. Density

Let Us Enhance

Activity 3: Real Life Intermolecular forces

For now, let us apply the theories and what you have learned into real life
situations. This will be done for you to appreciate the lesson and the importance of
this to our biosphere.

Adhesives are inspired based on mechanism of walking upwards

without falling from many known families of lizards specially
geckos. Gecko’s use their microscopic hairs on their feet to adhere
in walls and ceilings. This is because of van der Waals forces
present between hairs and wall. This intermolecular force (van der
Waals forces) are of very short range, it needs to come very close
to the surface to adhere using that mechanism. Gecko’s hairs are
30 to 130 µm long that end with hundreds of even tinier hairs of
radius 0.2 to 0.5 µm. Because of this mechanism, geckos are
capable of holding its weight with only one toe of one foot
(Peterman, 2006).

Another application of intermolecular forces is the fuel spill in

Russia’s North Spreads Toward Arctic Ocean. Diesel fuel leaked
from a container that burst after settling into permafrost that
stood for years. Around 150,000 estimated containers of diesel
were leaked into a river, compared with about 260,000 containers
of crude oil released into Prince William Sound during the Exxon
tanker accident, a touchstone for environmental damage from
petroleum spills. The diesel has been seeping into the marshy
riverbanks and spreading as an iridescent sheen on the surface
of rivers. A frantic effort to lay booms, or floating barriers, across
the rivers has not contained the spill (Andrew, 2020.

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Direction: You task is to search for an environmental phenomenon on which it
explains the importance and effect of intermolecular forces is being applied. By this,
sustainability, ecological services, and safety will be useful for the future generation.

Your response in the reflective essay will be rated based on the rubric below.
Please be guided accordingly.

Rubric in Assessing Reflective Essay

Criteria Poor Fair Good Excellent
1 pt 2 pts 3 pts 4 pts
Depth of Writing Writing Writing Writing
Reflection demonstrates demonstrates a demonstrates a demonstrates an
lack of minimal general reflection in-depth
reflection on reflection on the on the selected reflection on the
the selected selected topic, topic, including selected topic,
topic, with no including a few some supporting including
details. supporting details and supporting details
details and examples. and examples.
examples.
Quality of Information Information Information clearly Information
Information has little to do clearly relates to relates to the main clearly relates to
with the main the main topic. topic. It provides the main topic. It
topic. No details 1-2 supporting includes several
and/or details and/or supporting details
examples are examples and/or examples.
given.
Structure & Writing Writing is Writing is mostly Writing is clear,
Organizatio unclear, unclear, and clear, concise, and concise, and well
n disorganized. thoughts are not organized with the organized with
Thoughts well organized. use of excellent the use of
make little to Thoughts are sentence/paragra excellent
no sense. not expressed in ph structure. sentence/paragra
a logical Thoughts are ph structure.
manner. expressed in a Thoughts are
logical manner. expressed in a
logical manner.
Adapted from: https://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?sp=yes&code=L34935

Let Us Reflect

Intermolecular forces explain the physical properties of substances. The

stronger the force, the more difficult it is to pull molecules away from each other.
Therefore, the properties of a substance rely on the strength and type of their
intermolecular forces.

There are many properties that depends on intermolecular forces. These

include a substance’s phase, boiling point, melting point, enthalpies of phase
transition, vapor pressure, surface tension, solubility and miscibility, viscosity, and
density. Intermolecular forces are very important at the nanoscale level. Real-world
applications of intermolecular forces at the nanoscale include gecko tape and
others.

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 13
Activity 1 Activity 1 Let Us Try
6. Van der wall 1. Hydrogen 1. D
7. Intermolecular 2. Molecule 2. D
8. Polar 3. Polarity 3. B
9. Partial Charge 4. London 4. A
10. Non-Polar Dispersion 5. D
5. Dipol-Dipole
Answer Key
 14
Let Us Assess Let Us Assess Let Us Assess
6. A 11. D 1. D
7. D 12. B 2. D
8. C 13. C 3. A
9. A 14. A 4. D
10. D 15. C 5. B
Activity 2
Trails Observations Explanation
4 spoon full
solution had
the lowest
density
compare to 2
4 spoon full + 2 spoon full + 1 The solutions did not mix up and 1 spoon
spoon full together full, while 2
spoon full has
lower density
compared to 1
spoon full
solution
1 spoon full
solution is
1 spoon full + 4 spoon full + 2 much denser
The solutions mixed up
spoon full compared from
the two
solutions
4 spoon has
lesser density
4 spoon full + 1 spoon full + 2 4 spoons did not mix but 1
compared from
spoon full and 2 mixed up
the 2, 1 and 2
solution mix up
 References

Gupta, Rana K. 2018. Kickstarter. October 24. Accessed January 22, 2021.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/267548355/geckskin-unleash-the-
reusable-gripping-magic-of-th.

Hutchinson, Kelly, and Shanna Daly. 2007. INTERMOLECULAR FORCES:

WHY CAN SOME THINGS STICK WHILE OTHERS FALL? March 6.

Kramer, A. (2020) Major Fuel Spill in Russia’s North Spreads Toward Arctic
Ocean. New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.co
m/2020/06/09/world/europe/russia-arctic-oil-spill.html

Peterman, T. (2006). Gecko climbs wall using van der Waals force. Retrieved
from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239543215

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For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Department of Education – Davao City Division

E. Quirino Avenue, Davao City

Telephone: (082) 227 4762

Email Address: lrms.davaocity@deped.gov.ph