1

CHEMICAL BONDING

BONDING – Joining of atoms together to form a new compound/molecule or an element.

There are two types of bonding

o ionic bonding
o covalent bonding

A. IONIC BONDING
This type of bond is formed as a result of electrostatic force of attraction between oppositely
charged particles; one atom loses an electron becoming positively charged, the other one
becoming negatively charged, after gaining these electrons.

Ion
o An ion is a charged particle. It is charged because it has an unequal number of protons
and electrons.
o All atoms can form ions except group VIII.
o Group VIII atoms have a very stable arrangement of electrons on the outer shell. This
makes them unreactive.
- Metals lose valence electrons (outer shell electrons) to form positive ions (cations), hence
becoming stable. The ions have the same names as the atoms. e.g.
lose 1 electron
Na Na+ + e-
2, 8, 1 2, 8

- Non – metals gain electrons lost by metals to form negative ions, with names ending in –ide
hence becoming negatively charged, and hence archiving stable configuration e.g.
Gain 1 electron
Cl + e- Cl-

Atoms bond with each other in order to gain a stable arrangement of outershell electrons, like the
atoms of group 0. In other words they bond in order to gain 8 electrons in their outer shell (or 2, if
they have only one shell).

How do ions form? (In drawing the nucleus, it must be labeled with a symbol)

1. METALS
(a) Sodium Atom

SEOKE
 2

(b) Magnesium atom

(c) Aluminum atom

2. NON METALS
(a) Chlorine atom

(b) Oxygen atom

(c) Nitrogen atom

Elements in Period 3
Element Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar

configuration 2,8,1 2,8,2 2,8,3 2,8,4 2,8,5 2,8,6 2,8,7 2,8,8

Valence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
electrons
Ions formed Na+ Mg2+ Al3+ - - S2- Cl- -

configuration 2, 8 2, 8 2,8 - - 2,8,8 2,8,8 2,8,8

SEOKE
 3

Interpretation
o Metals at the beginning of the period lose outer electrons to attain duplet/octet no. of outer
electrons (noble gas configuration)
o Non- metals at the end of the period gain electrons to form ions
o Elements in the middle do not usually form ions (Si and P).This is because their atoms
would have to gain or lose several electrons and that takes too much energy.
o Group 8 elements do not form ions

FORMATION OF IONIC COMPOUNDS

o Metals and non- metals will form ions independently
o The oppositely charged ions will be attracted to each other
o An ionic bond thus exists, forming a new compound (a rigid solid shape called a crystal
lattice).
Examples
a. Sodium chloride

SEOKE
 4

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF IONIC COMPOUNDS

Physical Properties Explanation in terms of their structure and bonding

1.They are usually crystalline - Ions are arranged in a regular fashion with strong

electrostatic force of attraction between ions

2. Have high melting and boiling -The electrostatic force of attraction between oppositely

points charged ions is very strong hence large amount energy is

needed to separate them

3. Cannot conduct electricity - In the solid structure the ions are held in fixed positions but

when solid but do so in in molten/aqueous solution the ions are mobile

molten/aqueous solution

4. Most ionic compounds are - Water molecules are polar and are attracted to the charged

soluble in water ions in the ionic compounds

B. COVALENT BONDING
This is the type of bonding involving non-metals sharing valency electrons to attain stability of the
noble gas configuration. Electrons are not transferred, but shared, hence there are no charges.
o one pair of shared electrons form single covalent bond
o two pairs of shared electrons form double covalent bond
o three pairs of shared electrons form triple covalent bond

FORMATION OF COVALENT MOLECULES

a. Hydrogen molecule

The two bonded hydrogen atoms form a MOLECULE. A molecule is a group of atoms held
together by covalent bonds.

SEOKE
 5

Elements made up of molecules containing two atoms are called DIATOMIC.

SEOKE
 6

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF COVALENT COMPOUNDS

Physical Properties
1. Have low melting and boiling
points
2. Cannot conduct electricity in
any state
3. They are soluble in organic
solvents, not in water
Explanation in terms of their structure and bonding
- The inter molecular forces of attraction are very
weak between molecules, hence very little energy
required to break them
- No mobile ions in covalent compound
- They are not readily hydrated by water molecules

A. GIANT IONIC STRUCTURES

Crystal Lattice:
o Consist of at least two different types of ions held together in a 3-d arrangement
o Ions are packed together, held together by strong attractions of oppositely charged ions

Example: sodium chloride structure

B. COVALENT STRUCTURES
Compounds with covalent bonds have molecules which can either be classified as simple
molecular or giant molecular

i. Simple molecular structures; are simple and are formed from few atoms e.g. iodine, water,
methane, ethanol.
o have strong covalent bonds between atoms, within the same molecule also known as
intra molecular bonds
o Weak bonds between molecules known as van-der Waal’s bond or inter molecular
bonds

SEOKE
 7

SEOKE