Ionic Bonds and Covalent Compounds

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing ionic bonding, crystallization, dissociation, and covalent compound representations including methane models.

Ionic Bonds

Chemical bonds formed through the transfer of outer shell electrons from a metal atom like sodium to a nonmetal atom like chlorine.

Sodium Atom ($Na$)

An atom containing $11\,p^+$ in its nucleus and a single electron ($1\,e^-$) in its outer electron shell.

Chlorine Atom ($Cl$)

An atom containing $17\,p^+$ and $18\,n^0$ with an outer electron shell that receives an electron to achieve stability.

Sodium Ion ($Na^+$)

A positively charged ion formed when a sodium atom transfers away its outer shell electron.

Chloride Ion ($Cl^-$)

A negatively charged ion formed when a chlorine atom gains an electron into its outer shell.

Crystallization

The process by which individual sodium ions and chloride ions combine to form a solid sodium chloride crystal.

Dissociation

The separation of sodium ions and chloride ions from a sodium chloride crystal lattice.

Sodium Chloride Crystal

A solid crystalline structure composed of alternating bonded sodium ions ($Na^+$) and chloride ions ($Cl^-$).

Covalent Compounds

Compounds formed by the sharing of electron pairs between nonmetal atoms, such as carbon and hydrogen in methane.