Covalent bonding Flashcards
Covalent bonding:
The electrostatic forces of attraction between the positively charged nucleus of both the bonded atoms and their shared pair of electrons
How is a covalent bond formed?
At an optimal inter-nuclear distance, maximum attraction is achieved where the repulsive forces just balance the attractive forces. The system has its minimum energy at this point. Any shorter distance will result in net repulsion and increase the overall energy of the system.
The electron cloud formed between the bonded atoms is the called molecular orbital.
Sigma bonds are formed by ____
Head-on overlap of two atomic orbitals
Pi bonds are formed by ____
Side-on overlap of two atomic orbitals
Why is side-on overlap less efficient?
The overlap is poorer and the Pi bond is weaker and easier to break
Bond pair:
An electron pair that is shared between the bonded atoms
High electronegativity,_____
Attract more electrons
How to determine the electronegativity
It increases across a period and decreases down a group
Bond length is dependant on:
Size of atoms bonded
Bond length:
Distance between the nuclei of the 2 bonded atoms
Smaller the atom and shorter the bond length:
The stronger the bond
Multiple bonds are:
Stronger
When two atoms have the same electronegativity:
The covalent bond formed is non-polar
When two atoms have different electronegativity:
The covalent bond formed is polar
The more electronegative atoms acquires a _____
partial negative charge
