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Chemical Bonding Questions and Answers
Free Chemistry Flashcards for GCSE and A Level
Get confident on ionic bonds, covalent structures and metallic bonding, plus the forces that act between molecules. Free Chemistry flashcards for GCSE and A Level revision.
Question
What is an ionic bond?
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Answer
Electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions formed by transfer of electrons.
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Question
What is a covalent bond?
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Answer
A shared pair of electrons between two non-metal atoms.
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Question
What is metallic bonding?
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Answer
A lattice of positive metal ions surrounded by a sea of delocalised electrons.
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Question
Why do ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points?
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Answer
Strong electrostatic forces between ions in the giant ionic lattice require large amounts of energy to break.
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Question
Why can ionic compounds conduct electricity when dissolved in water?
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Answer
The ions are free to move and carry charge through the solution.
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Question
What is a giant covalent structure? Give an example.
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Answer
A lattice of atoms bonded by many covalent bonds — e.g. diamond, graphite, silicon dioxide.
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Question
Why does diamond have a very high melting point?
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Answer
Every carbon atom is bonded to four others by strong covalent bonds in a giant lattice, requiring enormous energy to break.
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Question
Why does graphite conduct electricity?
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Answer
Each carbon atom forms only three covalent bonds, leaving one delocalised electron per atom free to carry charge.
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Question
Why do simple covalent molecules have low melting points?
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Answer
Only weak intermolecular forces (van der Waals) exist between molecules, which are easily overcome.
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Question
What determines the shape of a molecule according to VSEPR theory?
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Answer
Electron pairs around a central atom repel each other to be as far apart as possible.
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