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Chapter 2
Atoms, Molecules, and Ions
The Atomic Theory of Matter
Accurately represents
the angles at which
molecules are attached.
Class Practice Exercise
The structural formula of propane and butane is
H H H H H H H
H C C C H H C C C C H
H H H H H H H
What is the chemical and empirical formula for these
molecules?
Ions and Ionic Compounds
• When an atom or molecule loses electrons, it becomes
positively charged.
– For example, when Na loses an electron it becomes Na+.
• Positively charged ions are called cations.
• When an atom or molecule gains electrons, it becomes
negatively charged.
• For example when Cl gains an electron it becomes Cl-.
• Negatively charged ions are called anions.
• An atom or molecule can lose more than one electron.
• When molecules loose electrons, polyatomic ions are formed.
Ions and Ionic Compounds
• In general: metal atoms tend to lose electrons to become
cations; nonmetal ions tend to gain electrons to form
anions.
Predicting Ionic Charge
• The number of electrons an atom loses is related to its
position on the periodic table.
Ions and Ionic Compounds
Predicting Ionic Charge
Ions and Ionic Compounds
Element Bonding
• The majority of chemistry involves the transfer of
electrons between species.
Example:
– To form NaCl, the neutral sodium atom, Na, must lose an
electron to become a cation: Na+.
– The electron cannot be lost entirely, so it is transferred to a
chlorine atom, Cl, which then becomes an anion: Cl-.
– The Na+ and Cl- ions are attracted to form an ionic NaCl lattice
which crystallizes.
– NaCl is an example of an Ionic compound (consisting of
positive and negatively charged atoms)
Ions and Ionic Compounds
Crystal Structure
of NaCl
Ions and Ionic Compounds
Ionic Compounds
• Important: note that there are no easily identified NaCl
molecules in the ionic lattice. Therefore, we cannot use
molecular formulas to describe ionic substances.
• Writing the empirical formulas for ionic compounds:
• you need to know the ions of which it is composed.
• The formula must reflect the electrical neutrality of the
compound
• the total positive charge must equal the total negative charge
• Example: Consider the formation of Mg3N2:
• Mg loses two electrons to become Mg2+;
• Nitrogen gains three electrons to become N3-.
• For a neutral species, the number of electrons lost and gained
must be equal.
Ions and Ionic Compounds
Writing the Empirical Formula
• However, Mg can only lose electrons in twos and N can
only accept electrons in threes.
• Therefore, Mg needs to lose 6 electrons (2 3) and N
gain those 6 electrons (3 2).
• I.e., 3Mg atoms need to form 3Mg2+ ions (total 3 2+
charges) and 2 N atoms need to form 2N3- ions (total 2
3- charges).
• Therefore, the formula is Mg3N2.
Controversy in Naming Inorganic/Organic
Compounds
Organic compounds contain carbon. Inorganic compounds don't.
This definition is often given but is no help at all. What do we make of carbon dioxide, sodium
cyanide, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), ...?
Organic compounds contain carbon-hydrogen bonds. Inorganic compounds don't.
This is a much better definition, allowing us to call sodium acetylide "organic" but calcium carbide
"inorganic," but it doesn't always work.
Inorganic compounds contain metal atoms. Organic compounds don't.
This doesn't really work any too well either. Even leaving the huge field of organometallic chemistry
out of the running, are we really going to call soap (sodium salts of fatty acids) or the lipid bilayers
forming cell membranes (again, salts of long-chain organic acids) "inorganic"???
An organic compound is whatever an organic chemist says it is; an inorganic compound
is whatever an inorganic chemist says it is.