Ionic and Covalent Bonding Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to ionic and covalent chemical bonding.

Ionic Bonding

A type of bonding where electrons are transferred from one element to another, forming oppositely charged ions that are held together by electrostatic forces.

Covalent Bond

A chemical bond formed when electrons are shared between atoms.

Valence Electron

An electron located in the last or outermost energy level of an atom.

Electrostatic Force

The force of attraction between oppositely charged ions that binds them together in an ionic bond.

Polar Covalent Bond

A covalent bond in which electrons are shared unequally between atoms due to differences in electronegativity.

Non-polar Covalent Bond

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

Dipole

A polarized object or molecule that has a partial positive charge on one side and a partial negative charge on the other side.

Electronegativity

The ability of an atom to attract an electron toward itself.

Hydrogen Bond

A special case of bonding that occurs whenever a hydrogen atom is bonded to oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine.