Ionic and Covalent Bonding Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the principles of ionic and covalent bonding, properties of ionic solids, electronegativity scales, and Lewis structure rules as discussed in the lecture.

Halogens

Elements found in Group 17 of the periodic table, such as chlorine, which are classified as nonmetals.

Ionic Compound

A substance typically formed by the bonding of a metal and a nonmetal, or more specifically, a cation bonded to an anion.

Electronegativity

A value assigned to elements that determines their ability to attract electrons; the difference between these values indicates the bond type.

Nonpolar Covalent Bond

A bond characterized by an electronegativity difference between $0$ and $0.4$, commonly seen in diatomic molecules like $O_2$, $N_2$, and $Cl_2$.

Polar Covalent Bond

A bond characterized by an electronegativity difference between $0.4$ and $1.7$, such as the bonds found in water ($H_2O$).

Ionic Bond (Mathematical)

A bond formed when the electronegativity difference between two elements is $1.7$ or greater.

Transfer of Electrons

The process occurring in ionic bond formation where a cation gives its electron to an anion.

Lewis Structures

Diagrams that show the valence electrons of atoms and the bonds within a molecule or compound.

Ionic Solid Conductivity

Ionic solids do not conduct electricity because their charges are locked in place, but they become conductive in a molten state or when dissolved in a solvent.

Volatility

A measure of how easily a substance evaporates; ionic solids typically have very low levels of this property.

Crystal Lattice

A nice, orderly geometric arrangement of cations and anions that makes up an ionic solid.

Lattice Enthalpy

The measurable energy involved in the formation of an ionic crystal lattice.

Cation Radius

These ions are smaller than their neutral atoms due to the loss of electrons.

Anion Radius

These ions are larger than their neutral atoms because they have gained electrons.

Formula Unit

A snapshot representing the simplest ratio of ions in an ionic crystal lattice.

Brittle

A property of ionic solids meaning they will smash, break, or crush when force is applied, rather than being malleable.

Calcium Carbonate

An insoluble salt ($CaCO_3$) that makes up coral reefs; it only becomes slightly soluble under changed pH or temperature conditions.

Electrolytic Solution

A solution formed when an ionic bond is broken in water, freeing the charges to move and creating high conductivity.

Covalent Bonding

A bond formed through the sharing of electrons between nonmetals because both atoms have high electronegativity.

Octet Rule

The principle that atoms are most stable when they have eight valence electrons, similar to the electron configuration of noble gases.

Hydrogen Exception

An exception to the octet rule where the atom only needs $2$ electrons to be stable, requiring it to always be a terminal atom.

Central Atom Rule

In a Lewis structure, the least electronegative element is placed in the center, with the exception of hydrogen which must be on the ends.

Nee - Own Rule

A mathematical trick where the number of electrons needed ($ext{nee}$) minus the number of electrons owned ($ext{own}$) divided by $2$ determines the number of bonds in a molecule.

VSEPR Theory

A theory (often referred to as Vesker) used to determine the three-dimensional shape of a molecule based on electron domains.