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Elements, Compounds and Mixtures

Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding compared

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 3 (Chemistry)

Overview

The bonding and arrangement of particles in ionic compounds, simple molecules, giant covalent structures, polymers and metals, which kinds of atom each type of bonding joins, electron transfer and sharing, the electrostatic attractions that hold ionic, covalent and metallic bonds together, the ions in sodium chloride and magnesium oxide, and why atoms bond at all.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What holds the particles together in ionic, covalent and metallic bonding, and what electron transfer happens when sodium reacts with chlorine?

Key term

Describe the bonding and the arrangement of particles in an ionic compound.

Key term

Describe the bonding in a simple molecular substance.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Describe the bonding and the arrangement of particles in an ionic compound.

    Model answer

    Oppositely charged ions are held by strong electrostatic attraction in a giant regular lattice that repeats in all directions.

  2. 2

    Describe the bonding in a simple molecular substance.

    Model answer

    Strong covalent bonds hold the atoms together within each small molecule, and only weak intermolecular forces act between the molecules.

  3. 3

    Describe the arrangement of atoms in a giant covalent structure.

    Model answer

    A very large number of atoms are all joined by strong covalent bonds in a lattice that continues throughout the whole structure.

  4. 4

    Describe the structure of a polymer.

    Model answer

    It is made of very large molecules in which many small units are joined by covalent bonds into long chains.

  5. 5

    Describe the bonding and arrangement of particles in a metal.

    Model answer

    Positive metal ions are packed in regular layers within a sea of delocalised electrons that are free to move.

  6. 6

    Which types of substance contain covalent bonds?

    Model answer

    Simple molecular substances, giant covalent structures and polymers all contain covalent bonds.

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Chemical Reactions
Elements, Compounds and Mixtures
Global Challenges
Monitoring and Controlling Chemical Reactions

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Values 7.
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AMetals are on the left and in the centre, and non-metals are on the right-hand side.
BKI, because potassium loses one electron and iodine gains one.
CCaCl₂, because a calcium atom loses two electrons and each chlorine atom gains one.

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Sodium ions give a bright yellow flame colour.
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