5. Chemical Bonding - Students Free Notes

Explain the concept of hybridization and its role in molecular geometry.

Hybridization is the process in which atomic orbitals mix to form new hybrid orbitals, which are used to form covalent bonds in molecules. This concept helps explain the geometry of molecules in a more accurate way than just considering the atomic orbitals of individual atoms. sp Hybridization: Occurs when one s orbital and one p … Read more

Compare and contrast ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds with examples.

Ionic Bond: Formation: Occurs when electrons are transferred from one atom to another, resulting in the formation of positive and negative ions. Example: Sodium chloride (NaCl) is formed when sodium donates an electron to chlorine. Properties: High melting and boiling points, electrical conductivity when dissolved in water or molten, usually soluble in water. Covalent Bond: … Read more

Describe the process of formation of NaCl with the help of electron dot structure.

The formation of sodium chloride (NaCl) can be explained using electron dot structures: Step 1: Sodium (Na), an alkali metal, has one electron in its outermost shell (1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹). Chlorine (Cl), a halogen, has seven electrons in its outermost shell (1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁵). Step 2: Sodium donates its single valence electron … Read more

How does electronegativity affect the type of bond formed between two atoms?

Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract shared electrons in a chemical bond. The difference in electronegativity between two atoms determines the type of bond formed: If the difference in electronegativity is small or zero (typically less than 0.5), a non-polar covalent bond is formed, as the electrons are shared equally. If the … Read more

Explain the difference between polar and non-polar covalent bonds.

Non-polar covalent bond: A non-polar covalent bond forms when two atoms share electrons equally. This typically occurs between two identical non-metals (e.g., H₂, O₂) where the electronegativity difference between the atoms is negligible or zero. As a result, the electron distribution is uniform, and there is no partial charge on the atoms. Polar covalent bond: … Read more

A sample of sulfur from a volcano was analyzed to give the following composition of isotopes (Atomic No. of S = 16):

(a) Define the term isotope. An isotope refers to atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This leads to different mass numbers for the isotopes of an element. While isotopes of an element have nearly identical chemical properties, their physical properties, like mass, may differ. … Read more