Intramolecular

Forces of Attraction
Physical Science
Introduction
• Most atoms that exist only by
themselves are less stable compared to
when they are bonded with other atoms
in a compound. By combining with each
other through chemical bonds, the
atoms become more stable.
• Some compounds, including those that
contain carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and
fluorine, are more stable when the
atoms involved form a “complete octet,”
in which the valence s and p orbitals of
an atom has eight electrons. This is
called the octet rule.
• The noble gases, already having eight
electrons in their valence orbitals, do
not need to combine with other
compounds to attain stability, and are
thus relatively unreactive or “inert.”
Intramolecular Force
• A chemical bond is an electrical
attraction between the nuclei and
valence electrons of an atom and
which binds atoms together.

• Oftentimes, this type of attraction is

called an intramolecular force.

• Three types of chemical bonds may

exist in substances:
 Ionic
 Covalent
 Metallic
1. Ionic Bond
• An ionic bond results from the
transfer of one or more valence
electrons from one atom to another.

• This bond exists between a metal that

has a tendency to lose electrons, and a
nonmetal that has a tendency to
accept electrons.

• In the process, the metal atom

becomes a positively charged particle
called cation; the nonmetal atom
becomes a negatively charged particle
called anion.
2. Covalent Bond
• If sharing of an electron pair between
atoms exists, a covalent bond is said
to be formed.

• This type of bonding occurs between

nonmetals.

• A covalent bond may further be

classified as polar covalent bond or
nonpolar covalent bond.
3. Metallic Bond

• The case is different among metals,

where there are highly mobile valence
electrons in the atoms that make up
the metals.

• Bonds holding metal atoms together

are called metallic bonds.
Ionic, Covalent and
Metallic Bonding
Physical Science
1. Ionic Bonding
• Ionic bonds are formed between a metal
and a nonmetal due to a large difference
in their electronegativities.
• Electronegativity is a measure of the
tendency of an atom to attract electrons
toward itself.
• To illustrate how an ionic bond is
formed, take table salt or sodium
chloride (NaCl) as an example.
• The ionic bind between the atoms in
sodium chloride is formed by the
transfer of an electron from sodium to
chlorine.
• Each cation-anion pair is referred to as
a formula unit.
2. Covalent Bonding
• When at least two atoms of nonmetals
(similar or different elements) share
electrons to obtain a stable filled
octet, a covalent bond is formed.

• This type of bond holds atoms

together in a definite arrangement,
forming a molecule.

• The sharing of electron pairs to form

independent molecules may occur
equally or unequally.

• When does equal sharing occur? How

about unequal sharing?
Types of Covalent Bonding
• Nonpolar covalent bond is a bond in
which the electrons are equally
shared by the bonded atoms.

• This equal sharing of electrons

indicates a balanced distribution of
electrical charge.

• In a hydrogen gas (H2) molecule,

where the atoms are the same, the
electrons are shared equally.

• This equal sharing of electrons means

that the electrons spend the same
length of time in the locality of each
atom.
 Types of Covalent Bonding
• A polar covalent bond refers to the bond in
which the bonded atoms have an unequal
sharing of electrons.
• Take the covalently bonded ICl as an
example. The iodine and chlorine atoms do
not equally share the bonding electrons
because they are different atoms. The bond
between I and Cl is polar because the
electrons stay longer in the locality of one
atom than in the other.
• In the case of ICl., electrons stay longer in
the vicinity of chlorine than in iodine.
• This unequal sharing of electrons may be
regarded as “partial electrons transfer” or a
shift in electron density.
• There is a greater electron density around
chlorine atoms, and expectedly less electron
density around iodine atom. Chlorine is
then said to be more electronegative than
iodine.
Electronegativity Difference
• To distinguish a nonpolar from a polar covalent bond, it is important to
know the electronegativity values of the atoms involved.

• Atoms of elements with high electronegativity have a greater tendency to

attract electrons compared to those with low electronegativity.

• The absolute value of the electronegativity difference (∆EN) between two

atoms gives an idea of the type of chemical bond that can exist between
them.

• Electronegativity (EN) is the ability of an atom in a compound to attract

electrons toward itself. The higher the EN value, the greater is the
attraction for the electrons.
Electronegativity Difference
• Ionic bonds result when there is a
very large difference between the
electronegativity values of each atom, Type of Bond based on ∆EN of Bonded
resulting to a polar bond. Atoms

• Polar covalent bonds exist between ∆EN Bond Type

atoms with high ∆EN value, but 0 Nonpolar covalent
smaller than in ionic bonds.
Greater than 0 up to 1.8 Polar covalent
• Nonpolar covalent bonds have the
Greater than 1.8 Ionic
least electronegativity difference
among the three types of bonds.
Study the ∆EN of some compounds and the
type of chemical bonds present in them.
More Electronegative Type of Chemical
Compound ∆EN
Atom Bond
NaCl Chlorine 3.0 – 0.9 = 2.1 Ionic
ICl Chlorine 3.0 – 2.5 = 0.5 Polar covalent
H2 None (same electronegativity) 2.1 – 2.1 = 0 Nonpolar covalent

Type of Bond based on ∆EN of Bonded

Atoms
∆EN Bond Type
0 Nonpolar covalent
Greater than 0 up to 1.8 Polar covalent
Greater than 1.8 Ionic
Examples
• Predict whether the bond type between the following pairs of atoms will be
ionic, polar covalent, or nonpolar covalent.
1. C and Cl
2. Mg and O
3. H and Cl
4. N and N

• Solution:
1. C = 2.5 ∆EN = 3.0 – 2.5 = 0.5 polar covalent
Cl = 3.0
2. Mg = 1.2 ∆EN = 3.5 – 1.2 = 2.3 ionic
O = 3.5
3. H = 2.1 ∆EN = 3.0 – 2.1 = 0.9 polar covalent
Cl = 3.0
4. N = 3.0 ∆EN = 3.0 – 3.0 = 0 nonpolar covalent
N = 3.0
3. Metallic Bonding
• The bonding of metal atoms is depicted
in the electron sea model, which
accounts for some of the properties
exhibited by metals.
• This model pictures a metal consisting
of a network of positive metal ion core
(nucleus plus inner electrons) immersed
in a “sea of electrons.”
• Each atom contributes one electron to
the “sea.”
• The metallic bond is the electrical
attraction between the outer electron
and the positive metal ion core. The
electrons in the bond are “delocalized”;
meaning, the move freely throughout
the piece of metal.
Substance and Their
Properties
Physical Science
Ionic Compounds
• A chemical compound consisting of
cations and anions is classified as an
ionic compound.

• The positive and negative ions are

combined in a proportion such that a
neutral compound is obtained;
meaning, the net charge of the
compound is zero.

• Most ionic compounds exist as solids,

with mutually attracted cations and
anions arranged in three-dimensional
lattice.
Ionic Compounds
• When dissolved in water, ionic
compounds can be good conductors of
electricity.

• Most ionic compounds are soluble in

water due to their high polarity
caused by the high electronegativity
difference between their component
atoms.

• When ionic compounds dissolve, the

cations and anions dissociate and are
surrounded by water molecules,
allowing them to move freely to carry
electrical current.
Molecular Compounds
• It refers to a chemical compound with
molecules as its simplest units.

• A molecular formula is used to

represent the types and numbers of
atoms combined in a singe molecule of
a molecular compound.

• For example, the molecular formula

for hydrogen gas is H2. The molecular
subscript (2) indicates that there are
two H atoms in a molecule of H 2.

• A molecule of hydrogen is an example

of a diatomic molecule. The prefix “di”
means two, indicating the presence of
two atom in a molecule.
Metals
• Metals are malleable, which means they
can be bent or shaped.
• This property is attributed to the
layered arrangement of atoms
comprising a metal. These layers can
slide over one another when the metal is
bent, hammered, or pressed.
• Metallic bonds are strong, so metals can
maintain a regular structure and
usually have high melting and boiling
points.
• Furthermore, metals are also considered
better conductors of electricity compared
to molten ionic compounds.
• Metals are also excellent conductors of
heat.