Bonding

Lewis Dot Structures

Diagrams that represent valence electrons around the symbol of an element.

Valence Electrons

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

Ionic Bond

A bond formed between a metal and a nonmetal where electrons are transferred.

Ionic Compound

A compound made up of ions held together by ionic bonds, typically solid at room temperature.

Crystal Lattice

A repeating arrangement of ions in an ionic compound.

Covalent Bonds

Bonds formed when two nonmetals share electrons.

Molecule

An uncharged group of two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds.

Diatomic Molecules

Molecules consisting of two atoms, such as H2, O2, and Cl2.

Electronegativity

A measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons.

Formal Charge

A calculation used to determine the charge of an atom in a molecule.

Resonance Structures

Different valid Lewis structures for the same molecule that contribute to the overall hybrid structure.

VSEPR Theory

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion theory, used to predict the geometry of molecules.

Polar Covalent Bond

A type of bond that occurs when electrons are shared unequally between two nonmetals.

Non-Polar Covalent Bond

A type of bond where electrons are shared equally between two atoms.

Polyatomic Ion

A charged species composed of two or more atoms covalently bonded.

Octet Rule

The principle that atoms tend to bond in such a way that they have eight electrons in their valence shell.

Single Bond

A covalent bond formed by the sharing of one pair of electrons.

Double Bond

A covalent bond formed by the sharing of two pairs of electrons.

Triple Bond

A covalent bond formed by the sharing of three pairs of electrons.

Bond Polarity

The distribution of electrical charge over the atoms joined by the bond.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak attraction between a hydrogen atom and a highly electronegative atom.

Electrostatic Force

The attractive or repulsive force between charged particles.

LeChatelier's Principle

If a system at equilibrium is disturbed, it will shift to counteract the disturbance.

High Melting Point

A characteristic of ionic compounds due to strong ionic bonding.

Polar Molecule

A molecule that has a net dipole moment due to the presence of polar bonds.

Non-Polar Molecule

A molecule that does not have distinct positive and negative ends.

Intermolecular Forces

Forces of attraction or repulsion between neighboring particles.

Solubility

The ability of a substance to dissolve in a solvent.

Electrical Conductivity

The ability of a substance to conduct electricity, often requiring movement of charged particles.

Lone Pair Electrons

Pairs of valence electrons that are not involved in bonding.

Bond Length

The distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms.

Geometry of Molecules

The three-dimensional arrangement of the atoms in a molecule.