Chemical Bonding and Organic Compounds

Vocabulary flashcards covering chemical bonding, ionic and covalent bonds, Lewis dot structures, hydrocarbons, and organic functional groups.

Valence Electrons

The electrons located in the outermost shell or energy level of an atom.

Lewis Electron Dot Symbol

A visual representation consisting of an element's chemical symbol surrounded by dots representing its valence electrons.

Chemical Bonding

A lasting attraction between atoms, ions, or molecules that enables the formation of chemical compounds.

Octet Rule

A chemical rule of thumb reflecting the theory that main-group elements tend to bond in such a way that each atom has eight electrons in its valence shell.

Ionic Bonding

A type of chemical bond formed through the complete transfer of valence electrons from a metal atom to a nonmetal atom.

Ion

A charged particle formed when a metal atom transfers its valence electron(s) to a nonmetal atom.

Cation

A positively charged ion formed when an atom loses one or more electrons.

Anion

A negatively charged ion formed when an atom gains one or more electrons.

Covalent Bonding

A chemical bond formed by the sharing of one or more electron pairs between two non-metals.

Nonpolar Covalent Bond

A covalent bond in which electrons are shared equally between the bonded atoms.

Polar Covalent Bond

A covalent bond in which electrons are shared unequally between the bonded atoms.

Hydrocarbons

Organic compounds containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms.

Alkanes

Hydrocarbons with the general formula $C_n H_{2n+2}$, characterized by single bonds between carbon atoms and between carbon and hydrogen atoms.

Alkenes

Hydrocarbons with the general formula $C_n H_{2n}$, characterized by the presence of a carbon-carbon double bond.

Alkynes

Hydrocarbons with the general formula $C_n H_{2n-2}$, characterized by the presence of a carbon-carbon triple bond.

Acetylene

The simplest alkyne, used in oxy-acetylene welding torches to generate temperatures of around $3000$\,$\text{degrees Celsius}$ to weld metal.

Aromatics

Planar, fully conjugated cyclic organic structures that relate to or have a distinct smell or odor.

Functional Groups

The most reactive parts in organic compounds that determine the major chemical and physical properties of the compounds.

Symbol R

A general notation in organic chemistry structures used to denote a hydrocarbon chain.

Alkyl Halide (Haloalkane)

An organic compound formed when a carbon of an alkane is bonded to one or more halogens ($\text{F}$, $\text{Cl}$, $\text{Br}$, or $\text{I}$).

Alcohol

An organic compound containing a hydroxyl group ($\text{-OH}$) attached to a carbon chain.

Phenol

An organic compound containing a hydroxyl group ($\text{-OH}$) directly attached to an aromatic benzene ring.

Thiol

An organic compound containing a thiol group ($\text{-SH}$) attached to a carbon chain.

Ether

An organic compound containing a central oxygen atom single-bonded to two carbon atoms ($\text{R-O-R}$).

Sulfide

An organic compound in which the central oxygen atom of an ether is replaced by a sulfur atom ($\text{R-S-R}$).

Amines

Organic compounds characterized by nitrogen atoms with single bonds to hydrogen and carbon atoms.