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ExamsJEE AdvancedChemistry

In which of the following phenomena does hydrogen bonding play a central role?

  1. Ice floats in water
  2. Higher Lewis basicity of primary amines than tertiary amines in aqueous solutions
  3. Formic acid is more acidic than acetic acid
  4. Dimerisation of acetic acid in benzene

Correct answer: Ice floats in water

Solution

Ice floating is caused by H-bond-driven open tetrahedral crystal structure. Primary amines are better proton acceptors in water partly because their NH2 can form more H-bonds for solvation. Acetic acid dimerises in non-polar benzene via double H-bonding between carboxyl groups. Formic acid's higher acidity than acetic acid is due to the inductive effect (no methyl group) — not H-bonding.

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