Chemical Bonding and the Lewis Model

A collection of vocabulary flashcards based on key concepts from chemistry related to the Lewis model and chemical bonding.

Lewis Model

A simple bonding theory emphasizing valence electrons to explain bonding.

Octet Rule

Atoms tend to bond in such a way that they have eight electrons in their outer shell.

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outer shell of an atom that are involved in chemical bonding.

Ionic Bond

A type of bond formed when electrons are transferred from one atom to another, resulting in cations and anions.

Covalent Bond

A type of bond formed when two nonmetal atoms share electrons.

Metallic Bond

A bond formed by the attraction between metal cations and delocalized electrons.

Crystal Lattice

A crystalline structure formed by alternating cations and anions held together by electrostatic attraction.

Lattice Energy

The energy released when ions form a solid crystal from gaseous ions.

Dipole Moment

A measure of the polarity of a bond, related to the distribution of charge.

Electronegativity

The ability of an atom to attract bonding electrons to itself.

Resonance Structures

Different Lewis structures for the same molecule that differ only in the placement of electrons.

Formal Charge

A fictitious charge assigned to an atom in a Lewis structure to help determine the best structure.

Single Covalent Bond

A bond formed by the sharing of one pair of electrons between two atoms.

Double Covalent Bond

A bond formed by the sharing of two pairs of electrons between two atoms.

Triple Covalent Bond

A bond formed by the sharing of three pairs of electrons between two atoms.

Bond Energy

The amount of energy required to break one mole of a bond in the gas phase.

Bond Length

The distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms.