CHEM 101 LEC

Pt.1 Chemical
Bonding
 Molecule
• A combination of two or more atoms. These
atoms may be of the same elements or of
different elements.
• Atoms are held together by bonds that can be
classified into two or main type:
– Ionic
– Covalent
 Atom Stability
• Atoms are considered stable (nonreactive)
when their highest (outer) energy level has
eight electrons in it and filled.

• Atoms that do not have eight electrons in their

highest energy level may lose, gain or share
their valence electrons with other atoms in
order to reach a more stable structure with
lower chemical potential energy.
 Symbols and Formulas
• A symbol not only identifies an element but also
represents one atom of that element.
• A formula consists of a group of symbols that
represent the elements present in a substance.
It also indicates one molecule of that substance.
• If there is more than one atom of an element
present in a compound, numerical subscripts are
used to indicate how many atoms of each
element are present.
 Symbols and Formulas
• To designate more than one molecule of that
substance, a number (coefficient) is placed in
front of the formula for that substance.

• The Formula O indicates one molecule of

2

Oxygen, with 1 being understood. The

molecule consists of 2 atoms of Oxygen.
 Electron Dot Structure
• An abbreviated representation for the
structure of that atom.
• In this system, the nucleus and all energy
levels except the highest one are represented
by the symbol for that element.
• Each valence electron is indicated by a dot
 Formation of Ions
• Ions are formed when atoms lose or gain
electrons in order to fulfill the octet rule and
have full outer valence electron shells.
• When they lose electrons, they become
positively charged and are named cations.
• When they gain electrons, they are negatively
charged and are named anions.
 Size of Ions
• When a metal loses an electron, the positive
charge on the nucleus is greater than the
negative charge in the electron energy levels,
so that the nucleus pulls in the electrons and
thus decreases the size of the ion.

• For metals, the ionic radius is less than the

atomic radius.
 Size of Ions
• When a nonmetal gains an electron (or
electrons), the positive charge on the nucleus
is less than the negative charge in the electron
energy levels; thus the nucleus cannot hold
the electrons as tightly as before.
• For nonmetals, the ionic radius is greater than
the atomic radius.
TYPES
 Ionic Bonds
• An Ionic Bond results from the transfer of an
electron or electrons from one atom to
another with the formation of ions that attract
one another.
 Polyatomic Ions
• Group of atoms that stay together and act as a
unit in a chemical reaction.
• They act as if they are simple ions.
 Naming Ionic Compounds
• Compounds that Contain Ion are called Ionic
Compounds or Electrolytes.
• Fall in 3 Categories
– Acids
– Bases
– Salts
• Ionic compounds that contain only two types
of elements are called binary compounds
 Covalent Bonds
• Ionic bonding results from the loss and gain of
electrons. Although, there is a another method by
which atoms can be bonded together by sharing of
electrons.

• Note that each atom has a noble gas structure, with

eight outer electrons. Each of the atoms shares one
electron with the other. The bond of that holds
these two atoms is called a covalent bond.
 Covalent Bonds
• This bonds can also be formed between atoms of
different elements. In compounds containing
covalent bonds, each atom usually has eight
electrons in the outer energy level represent a
stable structure.

• Since metals tend to lose electrons, they usually

do not form covalent compounds; thus we say,
the most covalent compounds are the nonmetals.
 Nonpolar Covalent Bonds
• If two atoms of an element are identical and so
the shared electrons should be shared equally
between them. This bond is called NONPOLAR.
• Electronegativity is the attraction an atom for
electrons. The greater the electronegativity, the
greater the attraction for electrons. vv
• Equally shared electrons as between like atoms
or between atoms of equal electronegativity
form nonpolar bonds,
 Polar Covalent Bonds
• When atoms of different electronegativity
form a covalent bond, the bond is always
POLAR.

• A Great Example is HCl

– Chlorine is more electronegative than hydrogen
and so attracts the shared electrons more
strongly. Thus, the shared pair of electrons will be
closer to the chlorine than to the hydrogen
 Polar Covalent Bonds
• However, a nonpolar molecule may contain
polar bonds.

• The bonds between the carbon and each

chlorine are polar. But there is no negative nor
positive end of the molecule. Rather the outer
part of the molecule is (-) while the inner part is
positive partially (+), so the molecule is
nonpolar.
 Resonance
• Resonance occurs when one electron dot
structure can be drawn for a given molecule or
ion. These are called resonance structures.

• This occurs because electrons are not fixed

objects near a given atom; they move around
the entire molecule.
 Naming Covalent Compounds
• Covalent binary compounds have names
ending in –ide, as do ionic binary compounds.
• To name the following system is used:
– Prefix + name of first element followed by
– Prefix + stem of second element + ide
 Metallic Bonding
• In metallic bonding, bonding electrons are
delocalized over a lattice of atoms.
• By contrast, in ionic compounds, the locations of
the binding electrons and their charges are static.
• The free movement or delocalization of bonding
electrons leads to classical metallic properties
such as luster (surface light reflectivity) , electrical
 and thermal conductivity, ductility, and high 
tensile strength
 Strength of Bonds
• Compound containing ionic bonds have higher
melting points than compounds containing
covalent bonds.
• Although bonds holding ionic compounds
together are generally weaker than those
holding covalent compounds together, ionic
compounds contain many more bonds than
covalent compounds.
 Strength of Bonds
• Most Ionic compounds are soluble in polar
solvents such as water. Most Covalent
Compounds are insoluble in polar solvents.
• Most Ionic compounds are insoluble in nonpolar
solvents such as benzene. Most Covalent
Compounds are soluble in nonpolar solvents.
• Molten Ionic compounds conduct electricity
because they contain ions. Molten covalent
compounds contain do not conduct electricity
 Shape of Molecules: The
VSEPR Theory
• Molecules have three-dimensional shapes even
though they are commonly represented on paper as
two-dimensional.
• The Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory is
based on the idea that electrons in the valence shell
of an atom repel one another.
• A molecule (or ion) will have the lowest potential
energy (the greatest stability) when the electron
pairs are in a geometric position that minimmizes
their repulsions.
 Shape of Molecules: The
VSEPR Theory
The VSEPR theory is useful in predicting the approximate shape
of molecules (or Ions) form from nonmetals.
When using the theory, the following rules apply:

1. Draw the Electron Dot Structure of the Compound.

2. Count the number of atoms bonded to the central atom.
3. Count the number of nonbonded electron pairs on the
central atom,
4. Add the number of atoms bonded to the central atom to the
number of nonbonded electron pairs.