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Bonding

  • 8 subtopics
  • 24 things to know
  • Papers 1, 2 and 3

What Bonding covers

Bonding is examined on Papers 1, 2 and 3. It explains how atoms are held together in the three bond types, what that does to the structures they form, and how shape, polarity and the forces between molecules follow from it.

Where it is assessed

Papers 1, 2 and 3

Physical chemistry drawn on by both written papers.

Check the AQA specification ↗

The 8 subtopics

Each one has its own page. AQA AS Chemistry students sit this topic in the first year.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Key term

Why is the formula of aluminium sulfate written as Al₂(SO₄)₃?

Key term

Give an example of a molecule or ion that contains a dative covalent bond.

Key term

What is ionic bonding?

Key term

What is a covalent bond?

Key term

What is the structure of sodium chloride?

Key term

Why do ionic compounds have high melting points?

Key term

What type of structure does graphite have?

Key term

What type of bonding exists between the layers in graphite?

Key term

What theory is used to predict the shapes of molecules and ions?

Key term

What does VSEPR stand for?

Key term

What shape does a molecule with three bonding pairs and one lone pair adopt?

Key term

What shape does a molecule with two bonding pairs and two lone pairs adopt?

Key term

What is electronegativity?

Key term

What is the trend in electronegativity across a period?

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What are the three types of intermolecular forces?

Key term

What is another name for induced dipole-dipole forces?

Key term

How can you predict the charge on a simple ion from the Periodic Table?

Key term

What is a dative covalent bond?

Key term

Why do ionic compounds not conduct electricity when solid?

Key term

Why is graphite slippery?

Key term

What is the fundamental principle behind VSEPR theory?

Key term

Why is the bond angle in ammonia less than the tetrahedral angle?

Key term

What is the trend in electronegativity down a group?

Key term

What causes permanent dipole-dipole forces between molecules?

Take Bonding further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

  • Ionic bond vs Covalent bond

    Ionic bond: electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged particles. Covalent bond: electrostatic attraction between shared electrons and both nuclei.

  • Bonding pair vs Lone pair

    Bonding pair: two shared electrons forming a covalent link. Lone pair: two outer-shell electrons not used in bonding.

  • Giant ionic lattice vs Giant covalent lattice

    Giant ionic lattice: a repeating three-dimensional arrangement of oppositely charged ions. Giant covalent lattice: a repeating network of atoms joined by covalent bonds.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is ionic bonding?

    Model answer

    The attraction holding oppositely charged ions together within a lattice

  2. 2

    What type of force holds ions together in an ionic compound?

    Model answer

    Electrostatic attraction

  3. 3

    What is the structure of an ionic compound called?

    Model answer

    A lattice

  4. 4

    What is the formula of the sulfate ion?

    Model answer

    SO₄²⁻

  5. 5

    What is the formula of the hydroxide ion?

    Model answer

    OH⁻

  6. 6

    What is the formula of the nitrate ion?

    Model answer

    NO₃⁻

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Atomic Structure
Amount of Substance
Bonding
Energetics and Thermodynamics

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A atom.
nitrogencarbonsulfur

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AOxidation is the loss of electrons.
BReduction is the gain of electrons.
CAn oxidising agent is an electron acceptor.

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The sum of all mole fractions equals 1.
TrueFalse

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721941163128510

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Short focus games to reset attention, so the next set lands better than the last.

Bonding revision questions

Is Bonding examined at AS in AQA Chemistry?
Yes. It sits in Papers 1, 2 and 3, which you take in the first year, so it is on the AS paper as well as counting towards the full A level.
What does Bonding cover in AQA AS-Level Chemistry?
8 subtopics: ionic bonding, covalent, dative covalent and metallic bonding, crystal structures: giant ionic lattices and diamond, crystal structures: graphite and simple molecular solids, shapes of molecules and ions: vsepr and electron pair repulsion, shapes of molecules and ions: predicting shapes and bond angles, electronegativity and bond polarity and intermolecular forces. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
How is Bonding organised?
By the AQA 7405 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.

Every question in Bonding, on a schedule.

Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.

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