If polar molecules are stronger then why do they have weak electrostatic forces? Aren’t opposite charges supposed to attract each other more, and thus create a stronger bond? I’m aware electrostatic forces don’t cause ‘bonding’. But shouldn’t it be a factor helping in stronger bonds?
Polar molecules do have stronger electrostatic forces compared to non-polar molecules, but the strength of the electrostatic forces alone is not enough to determine the strength of the bond between two atoms or molecules. The strength of the bond depends on several factors, including the nature of the atoms or molecules involved, the distance between them, and the arrangement of their electrons. In polar molecules, the atoms involved have different electronegativities, which causes an uneven distribution of electrons in the molecule. This results in partial positive and negative charges on different parts of the molecule, creating a dipole moment. The electrostatic forces between these partial charges in polar molecules are stronger than the intermolecular forces in non-polar molecules However, the electrostatic forces between the partial charges in polar molecules are still relatively weak compared to the covalent or ionic bonds that hold atoms together in molecules. In covalent bonds, atoms share electrons to form a strong bond, while in ionic bonds, positively and negatively charged ions attract each other to form a strong bond. Therefore, while electrostatic forces play a role in holding polar molecules together, they are not the main factor that determines the strength of the bond between the atoms or molecules in the molecule.
