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The presence of hydrogen bonds significantly enhances the boiling and melting points of substances. Hydrogen bonding occurs when hydrogen is covalently bonded to highly electronegative elements, such as oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine. This interaction creates a dipole-dipole attraction between the hydrogen atom of one molecule and the electronegative atom of another, leading to stronger intermolecular forces compared to other types of bonds.

In materials where hydrogen bonds are prevalent, such as water, the increased attractions between molecules require more energy to overcome, resulting in higher boiling and melting points. For instance, water's boiling point is much higher than what would be expected for a compound of its molecular weight, largely due to the strong hydrogen bonding present.

While other types of bonds, like ionic and metallic bonds, also contribute to high boiling and melting points, the unique and strong nature of hydrogen bonds specifically has a notable impact on the physical properties of many compounds.