Chapter 9 Chemical Bonding

Electronegativity

A measure of the ability of an atom in a bond to attract electrons.

Metallic Bond

The interaction that holds metal atoms together, resulting from a 'sea of electrons' shared by all metal atoms.

Ionic Bond

Formed when there is a complete transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Covalent Bond

A bond formed by the sharing of valence electrons between two nonmetal atoms.

Polar Covalent Bond

A type of bond where electrons are shared unequally between two atoms, resulting in partial charges.

Nonpolar Covalent Bond

A bond in which electrons are shared equally between two atoms, resulting in no significant charge separation.

Lewis Dot Diagrams

Diagrams that show the bonding between atoms of a molecule and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist.

VSEPR Theory

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion theory that predicts the three-dimensional shape of molecules based on electron pair repulsion.

Bond Length

The distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms, usually measured in picometers.

Bond Angle

The angle formed between three atoms in a molecule, typically centered on a central atom.

Core Electrons

Electrons located in energy levels below the outermost energy level.

Valence Electrons

The electrons in the outer energy level that are involved in chemical bonding.

Shielding Effect

The phenomenon where inner electrons block the attraction between the nucleus and the valence electrons.

Noble Gas Configuration

A stable electron arrangement resembling that of noble gases, typically having eight electrons in the outer shell.

Degree of Sharing

Refers to how equally atomic electrons are shared in chemical bonds, influencing bond character.

Periodic Trends

Patterns observed in the properties of elements, including electronegativity, atomic radius, and ionization energy.

Ionic Character

The degree to which a chemical bond is ionic in nature, often determined by the difference in electronegativity.

Hybridization

The concept of mixing atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals suitable for the pairing of electrons to form chemical bonds.