Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding

What is an ionic bond?

An ionic bond is a strong electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions, formed when electrons are transferred from a metal to a non-metal.

What happens to electrons in ionic bonding?

In ionic bonding, the metal atom loses electrons to become a positively charged ion, while the non-metal atom gains electrons to become a negatively charged ion.

What is the structure of an ionic compound?

Ionic compounds form a regular lattice structure where each ion is surrounded by oppositely charged ions in a 3D arrangement.

What properties do ionic compounds have?

1. Ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points, are solid at room temperature, and can conduct electricity when molten or dissolved in water.

What is a covalent bond?

A covalent bond is formed when two non-metal atoms share one or more pairs of electrons to achieve a full outer shell.

What type of elements form covalent bonds?

Covalent bonds form between non-metal atoms.

What is the structure of a covalent compound?

Covalent compounds can form either simple molecules (like H₂O) or giant covalent structures (like diamond).

What properties do covalent compounds have?

Covalent compounds generally have low melting points and do not conduct electricity, as they do not have free-moving charged particles

What is a metallic bond?

A metallic bond is the attraction between positively charged metal ions and a sea of delocalised electrons that are free to move throughout the structure

Why do metals conduct electricity?

Metals conduct electricity because the delocalised electrons in the metallic structure can move freely, allowing electrical current to pass through.

What properties do metals have due to metallic bonding?

Metals are malleable, ductile, and have high melting points, as metallic bonds allow metal atoms to slide past each other without breaking the structure.

What is the difference between giant covalent structures and simple covalent molecules?

Giant covalent structures, like diamond, consist of a network of covalent bonds that extend throughout the structure, whereas simple covalent molecules, like water, are held together by weaker intermolecular forces.

What is an example of a giant covalent structure?

Examples of giant covalent structures include diamond and graphite, where each carbon atom is covalently bonded to others in a large, continuous network.

Why is diamond hard?

Diamond is hard because each carbon atom is covalently bonded to four other carbon atoms in a strong, 3D network, making it difficult to break.

Why does graphite conduct electricity?

Graphite conducts electricity because it has delocalised electrons that can move between the layers of carbon atoms, allowing electrical current to flow.