Greek community school Addis Ababa

Subject :-Chemistry notes and assignment Grade :-9

Describe the differences in volatility, solubility and electrical conductivity

between ionic and covalent compounds
 Ionic compounds:
o Have high melting and boiling points so ionic compounds are usually solid at room
temperature.
o Not volatile so they don’t evaporate easily.
o Usually water soluble as both ionic compounds and water are polar .
o Conduct electricity in molten state or in solution as they have ions that can move and
carry charge.
 Covalent compounds:

o Have low melting and boiling points so covalent compounds are usually liquids or gases
at room temperature.
o Usually volatile which is why many covalent organic compounds have distinct aromas.
o Usually not water soluble as covalent compounds tend to be nonpolar but can dissolve
in organic solvents.
o Cannot conduct electricity as all electrons are involved in bonding so there are no free
electrons or ions to carry the charge.

Melting and Boiling Points of Ionic and Covalent Compounds

 Ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points.

 This is because the ions in the lattice structure are attracted to each other by strong
electrostatic forces which hold them firmly in place.
 Large amounts of energy are needed to overcome these forces so the m.p. and b.p. are high.
 Covalent substances have very strong covalent bonds between the atoms, but much weaker
intermolecular forces holding the molecules together.
 When one of these substances melts or boils, it is these weak intermolecular forces that break,
not the strong covalent bonds.
 So less energy is needed to break the molecules apart so they have lower m.p. and b.p than
ionic compounds.
Structure and Bonding: Macromolecules
Giant Covalent Structures:-
Giant covalent structure of graphite and diamond
 Diamond and graphite are allotropes of carbon which have giant covalent structures.
 These classes of substance contain a lot of non-metal atoms, each joined to adjacent atoms by
covalent bonds forming a giant lattice structure.
 Giant covalent structures have high melting and boiling points as they have many strong
covalent bonds that need to be broken down.
 Large amounts of heat energy are needed to overcome these forces and break down bonds.

Diamond, graphite and fullerene are examples of Giant Covalent Structures

Uses of Giant Covalent Structures

Diamond

 Each carbon atom bonds with four other carbons, forming a tetrahedron.
 All the covalent bonds are identical and strong with no weak intermolecular forces.
 Diamond thus:
 o Does not conduct electricity.
o Has a very high melting point.
o Is extremely hard and dense (3.51 g/cm 3).
 Diamond is used in jewellery and as cutting tools.
 The cutting edges of discs used to cut bricks and concrete are tipped with diamonds.
 Heavy-duty drill bits and tooling equipment are also diamond tipped.

Graphite

 Each carbon atom is bonded to three others forming layers of hexagonal shaped forms, leaving
one free electron per carbon atom.
 These free electrons exist in between the layers and are free to move and carry charge, hence
graphite can conduct electricity.
 The covalent bonds within the layers are very strong but the layers are connected to each other
by weak intermolecular forces only, hence the layers can slide over each other making graphite
slippery and smooth.
 Graphite thus:
o Conducts electricity.
o Has a very high melting point.
o Is soft and slippery, less dense than diamond (2.25 g/cm 3).
 Graphite is used in pencils and as an industrial lubricant, in engines and in locks.
 It is also used to make non-reactive electrodes for electrolysis

The Structure of Silicon(IV) Oxide (Silicon Dioxide)

 SiO2 is a macromolecular compound which occurs naturally as sand and quartz.
 Each oxygen atom forms covalent bonds with 2 silicon atoms and each silicon atom in turn
forms covalent bonds with 4 oxygen atoms.
 A tetrahedron is formed with one silicon atom and four oxygen atoms, similar as in diamond.

Diagram showing the structure of SiO2 with the silicon atoms in yellow and the oxygen atoms in red

Diamond and Silicon(IV) Properties :-

 SiO2 has lots of very strong covalent bonds and no intermolecular forces so it has similar
properties as diamond.
  It is very hard, has a very high boiling point, is insoluble in water and does not conduct
electricity.
 SiO2 is cheap since it is available naturally and is used to make sandpaper and to line the inside
of furnaces.

Assignment from covalent and ionic compounds please try to do the following questions:-
Question no 1 Diamond and graphite are two naturally-occurring forms of carbon

(a) Name the type of structure in diamond and explain, in terms of its bonding, why diamond has a high
melting point.
(b) Explain, in terms of its structure, why graphite can act as a lubricant.

(c) The structure of graphite has one feature in common with that of metals. This feature allows
graphite to conduct electricity. Suggest what this feature is and why it allows graphite to conduct
electricity.

Answer key for the above questions

Answer 1a) Diamond has tetrahedron structure means each carbon is surrounded by other four carbon
atoms and they are covalently bonded to each other.Diamond has melting point because there is no
intermolecular spaces in between the carbon atoms.

Answer 1b)The layers of carbon in graphite has weak intermolecular forces so the layer can slide over
other in the graphite structure that’s why graphite is used as lubricant

Answer 1c) In the covalent structure of graphite one electron is free just like metals so this electron can
move free in the layers and can conduct electricity like metals
( new topic)

Structure and Bonding: Metallic Bonding

 Metal atoms are held together strongly by metallic bonding.

 Within the metal lattice, the atoms lose their valence electrons and become positively
charged.
 The valence electrons no longer belong to any metal atom and are said to be delocalised.
 They move freely between the positive metal ions like a sea of electrons.
 Metallic bonds are strong and are a result of the attraction between the positive metal ions
and the negatively charged delocalised electrons.

 Diagram showing Metallic Lattice structure with delocalised electrons

 The link between metallic bonding and the properties of metals:

 Metals have high melting and boiling points:

 There are many strong metallic bonds in giant metallic structures.
 A lot of heat energy is needed to overcome forces and break these bonds.
 Metals conduct electricity:
 There are free electrons available to move and carry charge.
 Electrons entering one end of the metal cause a delocalised electron to displace itself from the
other end.
 Hence electrons can flow so electricity is conducted.
 Metals are malleable and ductile:
 Layers of positive ions can slide over one another and take up different positions.
 Metallic bonding is not disrupted as the valence electrons do not belong to any particular
metal atom so the delocalised electrons will move with them.
 Metallic bonds are thus not broken and as a result metals are strong but flexible.
 They can be hammered and bent into different shapes without breaking.