Structure and Bonding

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to structure and bonding in chemistry.

Compound

A substance in which atoms of two or more elements are chemically combined.

Ionic Bonds

Form between metals and non-metals when electrons are transferred.

Covalent Bonds

Form when non-metal atoms share pairs of electrons between each other.

Ion

An electrically charged atom or group of atoms formed by the loss or gain of electrons.

Anion

A negative ion formed when atoms gain electrons.

Cation

A positive ion formed when atoms lose electrons.

Electrostatic Forces

The forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Lattice

A regular arrangement of alternating positive and negative ions in ionic compounds.

Molecule

Two or more atoms covalently bonded together.

Bonding Electrons

Shared electrons in a covalent bond.

Non-bonding Electrons

Electrons on the outer shell which are not involved in covalent bonds.

Delocalised Electrons

Electrons that can move freely between positive metal ions in a metallic bond.

Metallic Bond

The strong force of attraction between positive metal ions and delocalised electrons.

Fullerenes

A group of carbon atoms consisting of hexagonal rings that can form hollow tubes or spheres.

Nanoscience

Refers to structures that are 1–100 nm in size.

Nanoparticles

Particles between 1 and 100 nanometres in size.

Surface to Volume Ratio

The ratio of the surface area of a particle to its volume; increases as particles decrease in size.