Chemistry · Bonding, Structure and Properties of Matter
Chemical Bonds
Spec 5.2.1.1📗 Foundation
Theory · read, then commit
Atoms form chemical bonds to reach a more stable arrangement — usually a full outer shell, like the noble gases.
🔻Metals lose
Group 1, 2 and 3 metals give away their outer electrons.
🔺Non-metals gain
Group 5, 6 and 7 non-metals take electrons in.
🤝Non-metals share
Two non-metals share electrons between them.
🧂Ionic
Between which atomsMetal + non-metal
What happens to electronsTransferred, metal → non-metal
ExampleSodium chloride, NaCl
💧Covalent
Between which atomsNon-metal + non-metal
What happens to electronsShared in pairs
ExampleWater, H₂O
🔩Metallic
Between which atomsMetal atoms (pure metal)
What happens to electronsDelocalised into a shared sea
ExampleCopper, Cu
What the atoms ARE decides how their electrons behave — and that is the bond.
Checkpoint · quick check
Sodium chloride is made from a metal and a non-metal. Predict the type of bonding it contains and describe how it forms.
Checkpoint · quick check
Water (H₂O) is made from two non-metals. Predict the type of bonding it contains.
🌡️Ionic → high melting point
Strong forces between ions; conducts only when molten or dissolved.
❄️Simple covalent → low melting point
Weak forces between whole molecules are overcome easily.
⚡Metallic → conducts
Delocalised electrons carry charge and heat; metals bend, not shatter.
Checkpoint · quick check
State why atoms form chemical bonds.
Retrieval · sort the cards
Test yourself · 9 questions, exam order
⭐Examiner Tip
When a question says "predict" or "identify" the bonding, justify it from the elements: metal + non-metal → ionic, two non-metals → covalent, a metal alone → metallic. Naming the bond type without saying why the elements produce it rarely earns full marks.
0 of 9 answered
Warm-up · 2 questions
Magnesium (Group 2) reacts with oxygen (Group 6) to form magnesium oxide. Identify the type of bonding in MgO.
Explain why copper is described as having metallic bonding.
Exam standard · 3 questions
Describe the difference in how electrons behave in ionic bonding compared with covalent bonding.
Name the type of bonding that occurs in a pure metal such as iron.
Name the type of bonding that forms between two non-metals.
Stretch · 4 questions
State whether a metal atom loses or gains electrons when it forms an ion.
Identify which substance contains ionic bonding.
Identify a property that is typical of ionic compounds.
Carbon dioxide is made from two non-metals. Predict whether it conducts electricity and give a reason.