Potential energy is stored energy. Potential energy is the energy that exists by virtue of the relative positions (configurations) of the objects within a physical system. The book’s potential energy can be released by knocking it off the table. As the book falls, its potential energy is converted to kinetic energy.

For atoms that are very close together, the electrostatic repulsion of the two nuclei dominates. Pushing the atoms closer together works against this force, which is why the potential energy increases.

The strong attraction of each shared electron to both nuclei stabilizes the system, and the potential energy decreases as the bond distance decreases. If the atoms continue to approach each other, the positive charges in the two nuclei begin to repel each other, and the potential energy increases.

Potential energy typically increases when objects get farther apart. The chemical potential energy of particles increases and decreases as the distances between particles increase or decrease. Thus, particles that are farther apart have greater chemical potential energy than particles that are closer together.

Until a certain point, the potential energy of molecules decrease as they get closer to one another. Energy is given off when the attraction between two molecules is broken. Intermolecular forces are generally stronger than bonding forces. All of these have intermolecular forces stronger than dispersion.

Carbon tetrachloride has a higher boiling point because the dispersion forces are extensive enough to be stronger than the dipole-permanent dipole interactions in chloroform.

London Dispersion Forces

Ionic bonding

Dispersion forces

London dispersion forces

London dispersion force