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In Chapter 2 "Molecules, Ions, and Chemical Formulas", we defined a chemical bond as the force that holds atoms together in a chemical compound. We also introduced two idealized types of bonding: covalent bondingA type of chemical bonding in which electrons are shared between atoms in a molecule or polyatomic ion., in which electrons are shared between atoms in a molecule or polyatomic ion, and ionic bondingA type of chemical bonding in which positively and negatively charged ions are held together by electrostatic forces., in which positively and negatively charged ions are held together by electrostatic forces. The concepts of covalent and ionic bonding were developed to explain the properties of different kinds of chemical substances. Ionic compounds, for example, typically dissolve in water to form aqueous solutions that conduct electricity. (For more information about solution conductivity, see Chapter 4 "Reactions in Aqueous Solution", Section 4.1 "Aqueous Solutions".) In contrast, most covalent compounds that dissolve in water form solutions that do not conduct electricity. Furthermore, many covalent compounds are volatile, whereas ionic compounds are not.
Despite the differences in the distribution of electrons between these two idealized types of bonding, all models of chemical bonding have three features in common:
Energy is required to dissociate bonded atoms or ions.
We explore these characteristics further, after briefly describing the energetic factors involved in the formation of an ionic bond.
Chemical bonding is the general term used to describe the forces that hold atoms together in molecules and ions. Two idealized types of bonding are ionic bonding, in which positively and negatively charged ions are held together by electrostatic forces, and covalent bonding, in which electron pairs are shared between atoms. All models of chemical bonding have three common features: atoms form bonds because the products are more stable than the isolated atoms; bonding interactions are characterized by a particular energy (the bond energy or lattice energy), which is the amount of energy required to dissociate the substance into its components; and bonding interactions have an optimal internuclear distance, the bond distance.
Describe the differences between covalent bonding and ionic bonding. Which best describes the bonding in MgCl2 and PF5?
What three features do all chemical bonds have in common?