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Hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) are a specific type of dipole-dipole interaction that is particularly strong. A hydrogen bond is an electrostatic attraction between a partially negative N, O, or F atom and a partially positive hydrogen atom that is covalently bound to a different N, O, or F atom. The partially negative N, O, or F atom is known as the hydrogen bond acceptor, and it must have a free lone pair of electrons in order to participate in a hydrogen bond. The hydrogen atom and the electronegative atom to which it is covalently bound are collectively known as the hydrogen bond donor. Hydrogen atoms must be sufficiently positive in order to be hydrogen bond donors; this only occurs when hydrogen is bound to a highly electronegative atom like N, O, or F.

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