Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to chemical bonding and molecular structure.

Kössel-Lewis approach

The first logical explanation of chemical bonding based on the inertness of noble gases.

Octet Rule

Atoms combine to have eight electrons in their valence shell, resulting in a more stable electronic arrangement.

Lewis Structures

Diagrams showing the arrangement of atoms and the distribution of valence electrons in a molecule.

Valence Electron

Electrons in the outer shell of an atom that are involved in forming bonds.

Covalent Bond

A chemical bond formed by the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Electrovalent Bond

A bond formed by the electrostatic attraction between positively and negatively charged ions.

Hybridization

The process of mixing atomic orbitals to create new hybrid orbitals that can form bonds.

VSEPR Theory

A model used to predict the shape of individual molecules based on the repulsion between electron pairs.

Dipole Moment

A measure of the separation of positive and negative charges in a molecule.

Formal Charge

The difference between the number of valence electrons in a free atom and the number assigned to it in a Lewis structure.

Resonance Structures

Different Lewis structures that represent the same molecule, showing delocalized electrons.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak bond formed between a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an electronegative atom and another electronegative atom.

Bond Length

The distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms at the point of lowest potential energy.

Bond Order

The number of chemical bonds between a pair of atoms; higher bond order indicates greater bond strength.

Lattice Enthalpy

The energy required to separate one mole of an ionic solid into its gaseous ions.

Molecular Orbital Theory

A theory that accounts for the electronic structure of molecules by combining atomic orbitals into molecular orbitals.