Cheyenne Kelley

The three types of divisions for bonding are ionic bond, covalent bonds, and metallic bonds. Each type of bond has special characteristics that place them in one of the three types of bonds.

Ionic Bonds

An ionic bond is a bond with an element with a positive and negative charge usually a metal and nonmetal. Anions are atoms with negative charges (nonmetals). Cations are atoms with positive charge (metals). In ionic bonding the electrons are transferred from one atom to the other by either gaining or losing electrons; the purpose of the elements gaining or losing electrons is so that they can have a full octet like that of a noble gas. Group 1 to 3 will lose electrons and groups 5 to 7 will gain electrons. The oppositely charged atoms are attracted by electrostatic forces.

Characteristics of Ionic Bonds:

• In solutions ionic bonds easily conduct electricity.
• Compounds tend to form crystalline solids with very high melting points usually above 300 degrees Celsius.
• Bonds formed between metal and nonmetal.

• Dissolve easily in water and other polar solvents.

• The metal is named first with the nonmetal second when the elements are named after they bond one example is magnesium oxide.

Magnesium oxide is an ionic bond because it has Magnesium with 2+ attracting to Oxygen with 2- and when the crisscross method is completed it can be written has MgO.

Covalent Bonds

Covalent Bonds share electrons this type of bond can occur between two or more elements share electrons. A covalent bond occurs because the elements in the compound have similar tendencies for electrons usually to gain electrons. The most common thing for a covalent bond is when two nonmetals come together to bond because the nonmetals will want to gain electrons; therefore, the elements will share their electrons to fill the orbital.

Characteristics of Covalent Bonds:

• Covalent molecules exist as true molecules.
• Formed between two or more nonmetals.
• Covalent bonds usually have low melting points most of the time below 300 degrees Celsius.

• The molecules in the bonds are not strongly attracted to each other and can move freely about in the physical states of matter such as solid, liquid, or gas.

Hydrogen is an example of a covalent bond because each hydrogen atom has one valence electron and wants to gain the other one; therefore, it will be a covalent bond and it will have a full orbital. It will be written as H_2.

There are two subtypes of covalent bonds: nonpolar and polar covalent bonds. A nonpolar bond occurs when the atom has equal attraction for electrons and they are shared between the two H₂ is a good example of this bond. A polar covalent bond is formed when the electrons are unequally shared between the two atoms H₂O is a good example of a polar bond.

Metallic bonds

Metallic bonding is the electromagnetic interaction between delocalized electrons, called conduction electrons, and the metallic nuclei within the metals they gather in the “electronic sea”. Zinc and copper is an example of metallic bond that forms brass because of the negative charge of the electronic cloud pull on the positive atoms causing them to form a metallic bond. The electronic cloud moves freely in a direction and when voltage is applied an electronic current is formed where thermal energy is released allowing this to bond a good conductor of heat.

Characteristics of Metallic Bonds:

• Conduct heat and electricity
• Ductile and malleable
• Some can be better conductors, some can be harder while others can be soft