Chapter 4: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

These flashcards cover key concepts in chemical bonding and molecular geometry, including ionic and covalent bonding, the octet rule, and molecular structure predictions.

What is the molecular structure of buckminsterfullerene (C60)?

Buckminsterfullerene has a geometric framework of hexagons and pentagons.

What defines an ionic compound?

An ionic compound is formed from the electrostatic attraction between cations and anions.

What is a cation?

A cation is a positively charged ion formed when an atom loses one or more electrons.

What charge do nonmetal atoms typically have when they become anions?

Nonmetal atoms typically gain electrons and become anions with negative charges.

What is an example of a binary ionic compound?

An example of a binary ionic compound is sodium chloride (NaCl).

What property of ionic compounds causes them to be rigid and brittle?

The strong ionic bonds within ionic compounds lead to their rigid and brittle nature.

What is the electron configuration for the sodium cation (Na+)?

The electron configuration for Na+ is [Ne], indicating it has lost one electron.

How do you determine the charge of a cation from a main group element?

The charge is equal to the group number for groups 1 and 2.

What does the octet rule state?

The octet rule states that atoms tend to form bonds that give them eight valence electrons.

What is the difference between pure covalent and polar covalent bonds?

Pure covalent bonds involve equal sharing of electrons, while polar covalent bonds involve unequal sharing.

How does electronegativity affect bond polarity?

The greater the difference in electronegativity between atoms, the more polar the bond.

What is a formal charge?

A formal charge is a hypothetical charge assigned to an atom in a molecule, calculated based on the difference between the number of valence electrons and the number assigned in the Lewis structure.

What distinguishes a resonance structure?

Resonance structures are different ways of arranging electrons in a molecule that retain the same arrangement of atoms.

What is VSEPR theory?

Valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory predicts molecular shapes based on the repulsion between electron pairs.

What is the molecular structure of water (H2O)?

Water has a bent molecular structure due to the presence of two lone pairs on the oxygen atom.

What is the bond angle in a tetrahedral molecular shape?

The ideal bond angle in a tetrahedral molecular shape is approximately 109.5 degrees.

What defines a polar molecule?

A polar molecule has a net dipole moment due to an uneven distribution of electron density.

How does temperature affect the solubility of ionic compounds?

Ionic compounds generally dissolve more readily in water at higher temperatures.

What is the general trend for electronegativity across the periodic table?

Electronegativity generally increases from left to right across a period and decreases down a group.