Explain why carbon dioxide is a gas, water is a liquid, and salt is solid at room temperature based on how the particals are held together. Please help I'm having a hard time explaining this.

Carbon dioxide is held together by weak intermolecular forces (only London dispersion LD) and is a non-polar molecule. Because of this weak attraction, it exists as a gas. Water on the other hand is polar (dipole forces DP), and has a stronger hydrogen bond existing within it (in addition to LD). This makes it attract itself more than say carbon dioxide molecules, so it commonly exists as a liquid. Finally, salt like water is polar, and has ionic bonds that are even stronger than a hydrogen bond. This makes salt have a great attraction to itself, sticking together as a solid because its molecules cant easily be broken up.

Explanation:

These are the strongest intermolecular forces ranked from strongest to weakest.

1. Network Covalent

2. Ionic

3. Hydrogen Bonding

4. Dipole Dipole

5. London Dispersion

we can conclude that the melting point of table salt is above room temperature (it's actually 801 deg c). the melting point of mercury must be below room temperature (- 39 deg c).

the answer is a! (2.9 x 10^-18 j) hope i could someone. : )