arrange the following substances in order of increasing magnitude of the london forces.
CH_2CL, CH_4, and CH_2CL_2
In order, as written in the problem, 2,1,3 with 1 being the least and 3 the most.
To determine the order of increasing magnitude of London forces, we need to consider the number of electrons in each molecule. London forces, also known as Van der Waals forces, are a type of intermolecular force that arises due to temporary fluctuations in the electron distribution within a molecule.
The strength of London forces increases with the number of electrons in a molecule, as more electrons lead to a greater chance of temporary electron imbalance and subsequent attractive forces between adjacent molecules.
Let's analyze the molecules in question:
1. CH₂Cl: This molecule contains one carbon atom, two hydrogen atoms, and one chlorine atom. Carbon has 4 valence electrons, hydrogen has 1 valence electron each, and chlorine has 7 valence electrons. Therefore, the total number of electrons in this molecule is 4 + 2 + 7 = 13.
2. CH₄: This molecule consists of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. Carbon has 4 valence electrons, and hydrogen has 1 valence electron each. Thus, the total number of electrons in this molecule is 4 + (1 x 4) = 8.
3. CH₂Cl₂: This molecule contains one carbon atom, two hydrogen atoms, and two chlorine atoms. Considering the same electron counts as before, the total number of electrons is 4 + 2 + (7 x 2) = 20.
Now, let's compare the number of electrons in each molecule:
CH₄ < CH₂Cl < CH₂Cl₂
Therefore, the molecules arranged in increasing order of the magnitude of London forces are: CH₄, CH₂Cl, CH₂Cl₂.