All about the Chemical Bonds and Compounds
Video Transcript
Almost everything we see or touch in daily life – such as the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and so on – is the result of chemical bonding. In other words, the world around us is generally not composed of isolated atoms. Instead, atoms bond to one another to form molecules and hence chemical compounds, which make up the world around us. Chemical bonding is the physical process that causes atoms and molecules to be attracted to each other and held together in more stable chemical compounds. There are three primary types of chemical bonds and compounds: Ionic bonds, covalent bonds, and metallic bonds. With ionic bonds, electrons are exchanged or transferred between atoms. They exist in ionic compounds. Generally, they’re a metal and a nonmetal – sodium chloride, magnesium oxide, etc. With covalent bonds, electrons are shared among the atoms. They exist in covalent and molecular compounds. Generally, they are nonmetals – carbon dioxide, dihydrogen monoxide, etc. With metallic bonds, a pool of electrons roam freely across entire molecule. They exist in metallic compounds. Generally, they’re metals and alloys – copper, gold, etc. A chemical compound is a group of two or more different atoms that are attracted to each other. Compounds can be divided into ionic compounds, covalent compounds, and metallic compounds. This table lists some key properties of each. Be aware that it is the valence electrons (those in the outermost level) that are involved in bonding. Atoms try to fill their outer energy levels because it’s energetically favorable for atoms to be in that configuration and it makes them stable. A chemical formula is an abbreviated way of describing a molecule or compound. Chemical formulas can be empirical – which is the simplest formula – and molecular – which is the “true” formula. Chemical formulas tell us the actual number of atoms of each element and the ratio of the atoms in the compound, but they don’t tell us what the compound actually looks like (meaning, its shape) because sometimes compounds with the same chemical formulas do have different shapes, which has a major effect on their chemical properties. One way to solve this issue is to use structural formula. This flowchart is the general solution to calculate the empirical formula. If we continue to explore, can you find the molecular formula from the empirical formula?
About this transcript:
• Transcript title: All about the Chemical Bonds and Compounds • Corresponding Lesson: Chemical Bonds • Author and curator: Rob Reynolds Ph.D. for The TEL Library. • Creative Commons License: CC BY NC SA