TBR CBT 5 Q 5 PS

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

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Why do the molecules of NH4+ repel each other?

See the question with its answer explanations attached.

 

[erythrocyte666]

Uhhhh Coulombic repulsion? Also, there are no attractive intermolecular forces to counterbalance the repulsion since ammonium has no net dipole nor any Lewis basic sites for H-bonding.

 

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

Yeah that's why I don't understand the answers explanations. I got this question wrong because of that 🙁

 

[Cawolf]

What do you mean?

In general, two like charges will repel with a force F=kqq/r^2.

Ammonium is the only choice with a formal charge.

 

[amy_k]

Agreed, don't over-complicate this: negative 'a' means repulsion, only like charges repel, all of the other choices are neutral so can neither attract nor repel. Two positive NH4+ molecules will repel each other.