1.4 Development of Chemical Bonding Theory

Tetravalent

Refers to carbon's ability to form four bonds when it joins other elements to form stable compounds.

Jacobus van’t Hoff

Dutch chemist who proposed that the four bonds of carbon are oriented in specific spatial directions, forming a regular tetrahedron.

Covalent bond

A shared-electron bond, proposed by G. N. Lewis, where atoms share electrons rather than gaining or losing them.

Lewis structure

A representation of molecules using dots to signify valence-shell electrons, helping to visualize covalent bonding.

Kekulé structures

Line-bond structures that indicate the two-electron covalent bonds as lines drawn between atoms.

Valence electrons

Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that can be involved in forming bonds.

Lone-pair electrons

Nonbonding electrons that remain as dots in structures and are not involved in covalent bonding.

Octet rule

The principle that atoms tend to bond in such a way that they achieve a full outer shell of eight electrons for stability.

Ion

An atom or molecule that has a net electrical charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.

Ionic bond

The electrical attraction of unlike charges that holds ions together in ionic compounds.