6.

Structure of Covalent Substances

Success Criteria:
At the end of this segment, you should be able to:
 BD - 14: Describe the difference between simple molecular substances and giant covalent
substances.

#SeeThinkWonder

Using the following diagrams and videos, answer the questions.

Structure of water Structure of diamond Structure of graphite

(0:43 to 1:53) (1:54 to 3:40)

SEE
(i) Where are the covalent bonds in each of these structures? hint: what are the atoms involved?
between oxygen and hydrogen between carbon atoms between carbon atoms
atoms between the carbon atoms
between the oxygen and between the carbon atoms
hydrogen atome

(ii) How many covalent bonds are there in 1 unit of the substance?
total 2 covalent bonds in 1 water single covalent bonds between single covalent bonds between
molecule one carbon to another carbon, one carbon to another carbon,
with many (extensive) covalent with many 3(extensive)
bonds between each
covalent
2 atom
bonds in the whole structure bonds in the whole structure

(ii) How many atoms does each atom bond to?

1 oxygen atom bonds to 2 1 carbon atom is bonded to 4 1 carbon atom is bonded to 3
hydrogen atoms, and 1 other carbon atoms other carbon atoms
the oxygen atom bonds
hydrogen atom bonds to 1
to two hydrogen atoms
oxygen atom 3

(iii) Any other description of the structure from what you see?
there is some kind of bonds
between the water molecules
(intermolecular forces of
attraction)
School of Science and
Technology, Singapore
there are bonds at the end of the hexagonal layer structure,
weak forces of attraction
structure, tetrahedral structure there is some kind of bonds
causing the graphite to be
the atoms are held together by between each layers
soft
(intermolecular forces of
strong covalent bonds
attraction)
delocalised electrons
between the layers can move.
Electricity is the movement of
charges. Delocalised electrons
--> conduct electricity
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2024 Secondary 3 Chemistry/Environmental Chemistry
Chemical Bonding
 THINK
(i) Are all three of these substances covalent?
Water is a covalent molecule diamond is a covalent substance graphite is a covalent
substance yes
yes yes

(ii) What is the chemical formula for each of these substances?

H2 O C C

(iii) What are the similarities and differences in their structures?

exists as discrete water
molecules with strong covalent
bonds between hydrogen and
oxygen atoms, with weak
intermolecular forces of
attraction between the
molecules
exists as giant tetrahedral exists as giant hexagonal
structure of carbon atoms bonded layers of carbon atoms bonded
together strong forces of attraction together, weakwithforces
weakof attraction
intermolecular forces of
attraction between the layers
no free electrons
free electrons between layers

WONDER
What questions do you have after considering these structures?

Conclusion

Covalent substances

Simple molecular substances Giant covalent substances

Description of structure: The intermolecular Description of structure:

Discrete molecules with strong covalent bonds Extensive network forces
The intermolecular of atoms bonded
between by strong
molecules are
forces between molecules are relatively weak,
between atoms and weak intermolecular forces covalent bonds (different giant covalent
leading to relatively low melting and boiling points very strong leading to very high melting and boiling
of attraction between molecules substances can take on different shapes and
points
structures )

Examples: water, carbon dioxide, methane Examples:

Water, chlorine, ammonia, methane, carbon Diamond, graphite,diamond,
carbongraphite, silicon
nanotube, dioxide
graphene,
dioxide etc. silicon dioxide, boron nitride

Note: Diamond and graphite are allotropes of carbon. Allotropes are different forms of the same
element with different structural arrangement of atoms.

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School of Science and 2024 Secondary 3 Chemistry/Environmental Chemistry
Technology, Singapore Chemical Bonding
7. Name and Formulae of Covalent Substances

Success Criteria:
At the end of this segment, you should be able to:
 BD - 12: Determine if a substance is a covalent compound based on its name.

 BD - 13: Determine the chemical formulae of covalent compounds.

#DrawingConnections

Match the name to the formula of the covalent substances, and deduce the tips for writing chemical
formulae of covalent substances.

hydrogen chloride PI3

dinitrogen trioxide NH3

phosphorus triiodide P2O5

ammonia N2O3

diphosphorus pentaoxide CH4

methane HCl

Tips to write chemical formulae for covalent substances

1. The prefix in the name tells the number of atoms in one molecule. (think: are prefixes used in the
name of ionic compounds?)

prefix number of atoms

mono 1
mono- 1
di- di 2
2
tri- tri 3 3
tetra-
tetra 4 4
penta- 5
penta 5

2. Subscript numbers represent the number of atoms in one molecule of the covalent substance
3. The name of the element further to the left in the periodic table is usually written first / last.

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School of Science and 2024 Secondary 3 Chemistry/Environmental Chemistry
Technology, Singapore Chemical Bonding
8. Formation of Metallic Bonds

#ConnectingChemistryConcepts #ThinkPairShare

Using knowledge from ionic and covalent bonding, think about the following questions and discuss
with a partner.

1. How do metal atoms achieve noble gas electronic configuration?

by losing electrons
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Do you think two metals can form an ionic bond? Explain your answer.
No because metals usually come together with non metals by transferring electrons to form an ionic bond.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
This is not possible between two metals.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Do you think two metals can form a covalent bond? Explain your answer.
No because metals have to lose elctrons to form a noble gase. By forming a covalent bond, they will instead
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
gain electrons meaning it is not possible.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. What state are metals usually in at room temperature? How will the arrangement of the particles be
like?
solid state. The particles will be closely packed together.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Success Criteria:
At the end of this segment, you should be able to:
 BD - 16: Describe how electrons are involved in the formation of metallic bonds.

• lose
Metallic atoms ………… electrons to have fully-filled valence electron shell, forming a cation.
• When there are many metallic atoms, the valence electrons lost forms a “sea of delocalised
electrons all around the metal cations.
• sharing of electrons
Metallic bond is the mutual …………………………………… between positively charged ions
in a metal and the “sea of delocalised electrons”.
• The electrostatic attraction can act in all directions around all positively charged ions in a
metal and all delocalised electrons.

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School of Science and 2024 Secondary 3 Chemistry/Environmental Chemistry
Technology, Singapore Chemical Bonding
9. Formation of Metallic Bonds

Success Criteria:
At the end of this segment, you should be able to:
 BD - 17: Describe the structure and bonding in metals.

Metals have a 3D giant metallic lattice structure, with the metal cations in a closely packed orderly
arrangement, surrounded by the sea of delocalised valence electrons. Positively charged cations and
negatively charged electrons are held together by strong electrostatic attraction.

Using the example for potassium metal, draw a diagram to show the structure of magnesium metal.

potassium metal magnesium metal

Mg2+ cations in orderly arrangement, surrounded

by electrons.
Total number of electrons should balance the
total positive charge

Page 16
School of Science and 2024 Secondary 3 Chemistry/Environmental Chemistry
Technology, Singapore Chemical Bonding