You're asking a great question, but it's actually the other way around! Water has a higher boiling point than octane. Here's why:

* Hydrogen Bonding: Water molecules are incredibly polar due to the strong electronegativity of oxygen. This allows them to form strong hydrogen bonds with each other. These hydrogen bonds are very strong intermolecular forces, requiring a significant amount of energy to break, leading to a high boiling point (100°C).

* Van Der Waals Forces: Octane, a nonpolar molecule, only experiences weaker London dispersion forces (a type of van der Waals force). These forces are much weaker than hydrogen bonds, leading to a lower boiling point for octane (-0.5°C).

In summary:

* Water: Strong hydrogen bonds = High boiling point

* Octane: Weak London dispersion forces = Low boiling point

Let me know if you have any more questions about boiling points or intermolecular forces!