Why do intermolecular dipolar forces decrease at a rate of 1/r³ and ion-ion interactions decrease at 1/r rate even though the force that mediates them is the same (electromagnetic)?
In: Chemistry
The rate at which a force drops, like electromagnetism, is really based on the geometry of the object. The strength of the electric field is only 1/r^2 for point sources. Create a line of charges, or a hollow sphere, etc, and the effect of that charge near other charges can reinforce or weaken the field in certain regions.
Molecules are larger, and have the charge on one end of the molecules interfering with the charge on the other.
Ions are essentially point charges and so they don’t have this interaction.
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