CHEMICAL BONDING

Chemical bonding is the joining of atoms to form compounds.

Types of bonding
 Ionic bonding (electro-covalent bonding)
 Covalent bonding
 Metallic bonding

1. IONIC BONDING
It is an electrostatic force of attraction between opposite charged ions. It occurs
between a metal and a non-metal.

Formation of ions: an ion is an electrically charged particle formed when electrons are
lost or gained to form a stable structure (with a filled outer most shell). There are two
types of ions:
- Cations: positively charged ions
- Anions: negatively charged ions

CATIONS
They are formed by metallic elements when losing electrons
For example;

Sodium (Na)

Sodium atom (Na) Sodium ion (Na+)

ANIONS
They are formed by non-metallic elements when gaining electrons
For example;

Chlorine (Cl)

2,8,7 2,8,8
Chlorine atom (Cl) Chloride ion (Cl -)
Exercise
Show the formation of the following ions
a. Lithium d. Fluorine
b. Magnesium e. Oxygen
c. Aluminium f. Nitrogen

Bonding between sodium ion and chlorine ion to form sodium chloride (NaCl)

EXERCISE (IONIC BONDING)

Draw a dot and a cross to show bonding in the following ionic compounds. Write their
chemical formula.
a. Magnesium oxide d. Lithium oxide
b. Potassium fluoride e. Calcium chloride
c. Aluminium oxide

Properties of ionic compounds

- They are hard crystalline solids at room temperature and pressure. This is due to the
strong forces of attraction.
- They have high melting and boiling points. This is due to the strong forces of
attraction that need a lot of energy to be broken.
- They are soluble in water. Water molecules surround the ions and separate them.
- They conduct electricity in liquid state (when dissolved in water or in moltern state).
In liquid form, ions are able to carry electricity because they are free.

Structures of ionic compounds

Ions are packed in a regular pattern called a lattice. Opposite charges are attracted together
to form a giant structure.

Example; the lattice structure of sodium chloride.

2. COVALENT BONDING
This is the bonding between non-metallic atoms by sharing of electrons to have a filled
stable outer shell.
Example;

Hydrogen (H2)

H-H

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Types of covalent bonds

a. Single covalent bond: it is when a pair of electrons are shared (2 electrons). It is
represented by a single line.
Eg. H-H (H2)

b. Double covalent bond: it is when 2 pairs of electrons are shared (4 electrons). It is

represented by two lines.
Eg. O=O (O2)
 c. Triple covalent bond: it is when 3 pairs of electrons are shared (6 electrons). It is
represented by three lines.
Eg. N= N (N2)

EXERCISE
Draw a dot and a cross to show bonding in the following compounds.
a. Hydrogen chloride HCl) e. Ethane (C2H6)
b. Fluorine (F2) f. Oxygen (O2)
c. Ammonia (NH3) g. Nitrogen (N2)
d. Methane (CH4)

Properties of covalent bonding

- They may exist as liquids or gases at room temperature and pressure due to weak
forces of attraction between atoms.
- They have low boiling and melting points due to weak forces of attraction hence
less energy needed to break the bonds.
- They do not conduct electricity at all because they don’t have ions.
- They are insoluble in water but can dissolve in organic solvents such as benzene,
ethanol and paraffin.
- They exist as molecules.

NB: Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) is a covalent compound that shows the properties of
ionic compounds. It dissolve in water and produce Cl- and H+ ions that conduct
electricity in aqueous state.

Structure of covalent compounds

Simple molecular structures Covalent molecular structures

(made few atoms. Eg. CO2, H2O) (made of many atoms. Eg. Diamond,
graphite)

- weak bonds - strong bonds

- exist as liquids and gases - exist as solids

- low melting and boiling - high boiling and melting

points points