Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Hydrogen bonding is a special type of dipole-dipole attraction between a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a highly electronegative atom (F, O, or N) and another electronegative atom with a lone pair of electrons.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The strength of a hydrogen bond depends on the electronegativity of the atom attached to hydrogen.
• Fluorine (F) is the most electronegative element in the periodic table.
• In the series HF, HCl, HBr, and HI, only HF is capable of forming strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds because the electronegativity of Cl, Br, and I is not high enough to create the necessary polarity.
• Due to this strong hydrogen bonding, HF has an unexpectedly high boiling point compared to other hydrogen halides.
Step 3: Final Answer:
HF (Hydrogen Fluoride) shows the maximum hydrogen bonding.