Chemistry · Bonding, Structure and Properties of Matter
Chemical Bonds
Spec 5.2.1.1📙 Higher
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
A substance has a high melting point and conducts electricity only when molten or dissolved, never when solid. Deduce its type of bonding and justify your answer.
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.
Compare ionic bonding and metallic bonding in terms of the particles present and the forces holding them together.
Explain why the type of bonding in a substance can often be predicted from the positions of its elements in the periodic table.
Stretch · 4 questions
A shiny solid conducts electricity and can be bent into shape without breaking. Deduce its type of bonding and explain both properties.
Explain why solid magnesium chloride does not conduct electricity, but molten magnesium chloride does.
A compound conducts electricity when molten but not when solid, and shatters when hit. Deduce its structure and bonding, and explain the shattering.
Explain why metals and ionic compounds can both have high melting points, even though their bonding is different.