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Chapter 12: Problem 48

If there were no attractive forces between water molecules, what phase or phases of water would you expect to be prevalent at room temperature? Explain your answer.

Short Answer

Expert verified
If there were no attractive forces between water molecules at room temperature, the prevalent phase of water would be the gaseous phase. This is because, without attractive forces, water molecules would not be able to form stable liquid or solid states and would behave as an ideal gas, in which the molecules do not interact with each other.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the role of attractive forces

Attractive forces between molecules play a crucial role in determining the phase of a substance. In solids, these forces are strong, keeping the molecules close together in a fixed position. In liquids, the attractive forces are weaker than solids, allowing for some movement of molecules, while still maintaining the substance's volume. In gases, attractive forces are at their weakest, allowing molecules to move freely and occupy the space available.
02

Water molecules without attractive forces

If there were no attractive forces between water molecules at room temperature, those molecules would not have the cohesive energy required to form liquids or solids. Therefore, they would not directly interact with each other to form a stable liquid or solid state.
03

Prevalent phase of water without attractive forces

Since no attractive forces between water molecules would mean that molecules cannot form stable liquids or solids, they would most likely form a gaseous state. In this case, water molecules would be considered as an ideal gas, which is defined as a gas in which the molecules do not interact with each other (no attractive or repulsive forces). At room temperature, water would exist in a gaseous phase, following the ideal gas behavior.
04

Conclusion

If there were no attractive forces between water molecules, it is expected that the prevalent phase of water at room temperature would be the gaseous phase. This is because, without attractive forces, water molecules would not be able to form stable liquid or solid states and would behave as an ideal gas.

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