C3 Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter

• What are the three types of strong chemical bonds?

  Ionic, covalent, and metallic
• What particles are involved in ionic bonding?

  Oppositely charged ions
• How do covalent bonds form between atoms?

  Atoms share pairs of electrons
• What is the nature of metallic bonding?

  Atoms share delocalised electrons
• In which types of compounds does ionic bonding occur?

  Compounds formed from metals combined with non-metals
• Where does covalent bonding typically occur?

  In most non-metallic elements and compounds of non-metals
• What types of elements are involved in metallic bonding?

  Metallic elements and alloys
• How can students explain chemical bonding?

  In terms of electrostatic forces and the transfer or sharing of electrons
• What happens to electrons when a metal atom reacts with a non-metal atom?

  Electrons in the outer shell of the metal atom are transferred
• What charge do metal atoms acquire when they lose electrons?

  They become positively charged ions
• What charge do non-metal atoms acquire when they gain electrons?

  They become negatively charged ions
• What electronic structure do the ions produced by metals in Groups 1 and 2 and non-metals in Groups 6 and 7 have?

  The electronic structure of a noble gas (Group 0)
• How can the electron transfer during the formation of an ionic compound be represented?

  By a dot and cross diagram
• What should students be able to draw for ionic compounds formed by metals in Groups 1 and 2 with non-metals in Groups 6 and 7?

  Dot and cross diagrams
• How does the charge on the ions relate to the group number of the element in the periodic table?

  The charge relates to the group number of the element
• From which groups should students work out the charge on the ions of metals and non-metals?

  Metals in Groups 1 and 2, and non-metals in Groups 6 and 7
• What is an ionic compound?

  A giant structure of ions
• What holds ionic compounds together?

  Strong electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions
• How do the forces in an ionic lattice act?

  In all directions
• What should students be able to deduce from a diagram of a compound's structure?

  That a compound is ionic
• What are the limitations of using dot and cross, ball and stick, and 2D and 3D diagrams to represent a giant ionic structure?

  Students should describe these limitations
• How can students work out the empirical formula of an ionic compound?

  From a given model or diagram showing the ions in the structure
• Which specific ionic compound's structure should students be familiar with?

  Sodium chloride
• What happens when atoms share pairs of electrons?

  They form covalent bonds
• What type of substances may consist of small molecules?

  Covalently bonded substances
• What are some examples of substances with very large molecules?

  Polymers
• What are giant covalent structures?

  Substances like diamond and silicon dioxide
• How can covalent bonds in molecules and giant structures be represented?

  In various forms, including dot and cross diagrams
• What do polymers consist of?

  Very large molecules linked by strong covalent bonds
• What are the properties of substances that consist of giant covalent structures?

  They are solids with very high melting points
• What must be overcome to melt or boil giant covalent structures?

  The strong covalent bonds
• What is the structure of diamond?

  Each carbon atom forms four covalent bonds in a giant covalent structure
• What are the properties of diamond?

  Very hard, very high melting point, and does not conduct electricity
• How does graphite differ from diamond in terms of bonding?

  Each carbon atom forms three covalent bonds
• What structure does graphite form?

  Layers of hexagonal rings
• What is unique about the electrons in graphite?

  One electron from each carbon atom is delocalised
• How does graphene relate to graphite?

  Graphene is a single layer of graphite
• What are fullerenes?

  Molecules of carbon atoms with hollow shapes
• What is the structure of Buckminsterfullerene (C60)?


  It has a spherical shape
• What are carbon nanotubes?

  Cylindrical fullerenes with very high length to diameter ratios