Chapter 3: Chemical bonding

3.1 Non-metallic substances and covalent bonding

Elements, compounds and mixtures
Element: a substance that cannot be further divided into simpler substances by
chemical methods.
All atoms of an element contain the same number of protons; and they are
divided into metals and non-metals.

Metals: a class of chemical elements (and alloys) that all have a characteristic
shiny appearance and are good conductors of heat and electricity.

Non-metals: a class of chemical elements that are typically poor conductors of

heat and electricity.
Compound: a substance formed by the chemical combination of two
or more elements in fixed proportions.

Mixture: a substance that contains two or more elements or

compounds that are not chemically bonded together.

Chemical bonding: the strong forces that hold atoms (or ions)
together in the various structures that chemical substances can form –
metallic bonding, covalent bonding and ionic bonding.

Chemical formula: a shorthand method of representing chemical

elements and compounds using the symbols of the elements. For
example, the chemical formula of water is H2O.
Covalent bonding in simple molecular elements and
compounds
Physical properties of simple covalent
compounds
 3.2 Ions and ionic bonding

An ion is an electrically charged particle.

Ions are formed when atoms lose or gain electrons.
Physical properties of ionic compounds
 3.3 Giant structures
Giant ionic lattice structures

Giant structures: these are lattices where the structure repeats itself
in all directions; the forces involved are the same in all directions
holding the whole structure together.

Giant ionic lattice is an ionic compound forming a lattice held

together by the electrostatic forces of attraction between positive
and negative ions.
Giant covalent structures:

Giant covalent structures: a substance where large numbers of

atoms are held together by covalent bonds forming a strong lattice
structure.

This type of structure is shown by some elements (e.g. carbon in the

form of Diamond and Graphite).
Diamond and graphite:
Properties and uses of Diamond and Graphite
 Metallic bonding
Giant metallic lattices

Giant metallic lattice: a regular arrangement of positive metal ions

held together by the mobile ‘sea’ of electrons moving between the
ions.

Mettalic bonding: an electrostatic force of attraction between the

mobile ‘sea’ of electrons and the regular array of positive metal ions
within a solid metal.
‘Sea’ of delocalised electrons: term used for the free, mobile
electrons between the positive ions in a metallic lattice.
 Physical properties of metals:
- Most metals have high melting and boiling points.
- Metals are good conductors of electricity.
- Metals are easily bent and shaped (malleable) or
stretched into wires (ductiles).

Malleable: a word used to describe the property that

metals can be bent and beaten into sheets.

Ductile: a word used to describe the property that metals

can be drawn out and stretched into wires.