Boiling Points

[ayushibanerjee06]

Why does NO2 have a higher boiling point than N2O? I am confused because NO2 is a radical.

[TarynD_1I]

Why does NO2 have a higher boiling point than N2O? I am confused because NO2 is a radical.

NO2 has a higher boiling point because it is more polarizable, which means it has stronger van der waals forces. Since NO2 has more electrons than N2O, it is bigger and more polarizable. I don't think it has anything to do with the radical?

[Jielena_Bragasin2G]

Since NO2 has more electrons, there is a stronger LDF than in N2O which has a less electrons. I am not sure if this has to due with polarizability though. Hope this helps!

[Liliana Aguas 3G]

Yes exactly, because there's more electrons, there's more protons in the nucleus also so the mass is larger and that makes it a larger molecule. Because it's a larger molecule, the polarizability of it is greater, so there's a higher chance for fluctuability of its electrons around the orbitals so the chances of LDF are higher and more LDF means higher boiling point.