What term describes the weak forces of attraction between covalent molecules?

• A. Ionic bonds
• B. Covalent bonds
• C. Intermolecular forces
• D. Hydrogen bonds only

Answer: (C)

Intermolecular forces is the idea here. These are the weak attractions that hold separate covalent molecules near each other, far weaker than the covalent bonds that join atoms inside a molecule. They include London dispersion forces, dipole–dipole interactions, and, in some cases, hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonds are one specific type within this broader category, not the only one.

So, the overall term for the weak attractions between covalent molecules is intermolecular forces. Ionic bonds are the strong electrostatic attractions between ions in an ionic compound, not between neutral covalent molecules. Covalent bonds are the strong bonds inside a molecule, not between molecules. Describing only hydrogen bonds would miss the other weaker interactions that can also occur.