Van Der Waals Interactions Result When

Question

Van der Waals interactions result when
A)hybrid orbitals overlap.
B)electrons are not symmetrically distributed in a molecule.
C)molecules held by ionic bonds react with water.
D)two polar covalent bonds react.
E)a hydrogen atom loses an electron.

Accepted Answer

Van der Waals interactions result from temporary attractive or repulsive forces between molecules that arise due to fluctuations in the electron distribution within the molecule. Thus, B is the correct choice as it describes the situation where the electrons are not symmetrically distributed in a molecule, leading to these temporary interactions. None of the other choices describe this phenomenon.