Chemical Bonds.

A chemical bond is an attraction between atoms brought about by a sharing of electrons between to atoms or a complete transfer of electrons. There are three types of chemical bonds: Ionic, Covalent and Polar covalent.  In addition chemists often recognise another type of bond called a hydrogen bond.

Ionic Bonds.  Ionic bonds arise from elements with low electronegativity(almost empty outer shells) reacting with elements with high electronegativity (mostly full outer shells). In this case there is a complete transfer of electrons.  Previous Page A well known example is table salt, sodium chloride. Sodium gives up its one outer shell electron completely to chlorine which needs only one electron to fill its shell. Thus, the attraction between these atoms is much like static electricity since opposite charges attract. Ionic, Covalent, Polar covalent.

 

 Covalent bond.

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Covalent bonds involve a complete sharing of electrons and occurrs most commonly between atoms that have partially filled outer shells or energy levels. Thus if the atoms are similar in negativity then the electrons will be shared. Carbon forms covalent bonds. The electrons are in hybrid orbitals formed by the atoms involved as in this example: ethane. Diamond is strong because it involves a vast network of covalent bonds between the carbon atoms in the diamond. Previous Page

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