Lecture Notes: Polarity, Covalent Bonds, and Hydrogen Bonds

Vocabulary flashcards covering polarity, covalent bonds, dipoles, ions, hydrogen bonds, and water properties as discussed in the lecture notes.

Partial charges (delta notation)

Charges indicated by delta plus or delta minus on atoms to show unequal electron distribution in polar covalent bonds.

Polar covalent bonds

Bonds with unequal sharing of electrons that create partial charges on the atoms involved.

Nonpolar covalent bonds

Bonds with equal sharing of electrons; no partial charges.

Dipole

A molecule with partial positive and partial negative ends due to uneven electron distribution.

Ion

A species with a full electric charge (positive or negative).

Water polarity

In water, oxygen attracts electrons more, creating a partial negative charge on oxygen and partial positive charges on hydrogen, yielding a dipole.

Hydrogen bond

A weak attraction between a partially positive hydrogen and a partially negative atom in another dipole; forms between polar molecules.

Surface tension

The film on the surface of water produced by hydrogen bonds, allowing some organisms to walk on water.

Hydrogen bonds in biology

Hydrogen bonds contribute to the structure of organic molecules (e.g., DNA, RNA, ATP) by linking components through dipole interactions.

Polar vs nonpolar distribution

Polar covalent bonds create partial charges and dipoles; nonpolar covalent bonds share electrons evenly and do not create partial charges.