HIGHER CHEMISTRY

UNIT 1
STRUCTURE AND BONDING IN THE 1st 20 ELEMENTS
 Metallic bonding consists of the attraction between positive metal atoms
surrounded by a pool of delocalised electron, due to the strong attraction
metals have typically high melting points.
 Diatomic molecules, phosphorous, sulphur and fullerenes are all
examples of covalent molecular structures.
 Carbon in the form of graphite and diamond, boron and silicon form
giant covalent network.
 Diamond forms a tetrahedral arrangement meaning each carbon bonds to
4 other carbons meaning it does not conduct electricity.
 In graphite, each carbon forms 3 bonds with other carbons creating layers
of hexagonal rings meaning the 4th outer electron becomes delocalised
allowing it to conduct electricity. Layers are held together by weak
London’s forces meaning graphite is an effective lubricant.
 The noble gases are monatomic elements held together with weak
London’s forces meaning they have very low melting points.

TRENDS IN THE PERIODIC TABLE

 The covalent radius is half the distance between the nuclei of covalently
bonded atoms, going across a period it decreases and going down a group
it increases
