Lesson 2: Intro to Chemical bonding

Question 1

What is potential energy?

Answer 1

the energy stored within a system by virtue of the stresses in that system.
ex: a system consisting of a stretched elastic band has more potential energy than one consisting of a limp elastic band.

Question 2

Explain the potential energy of two hydrogen atoms colliding.

Answer 2

• Initially there is no attraction between the atoms because they are too far apart.
• This two atom system has zero potential energy at the beginning, while having an even lower negative potential energy as they move closer
• as they move in closer each atoms proton begins to exert an

Question 3

Bonding representaions

Answer 3

• when a covalent bond forms,the orbitals, which contain the bonding electrons, overlap. Once orbital overlap occurs, the shared electron pair can travel throughout the entire molecule.

Question 4

The octet rule

Answer 4

• an atom is most stable when it can obtain a noble gas electronic configuration in its outer orbitals.
• the outer orbitals are collectively called the valence orbitals and the outer electrons are called valence electrons
• the valence orbitals in an atom are the outermost s and p orbitals; they get involved in the bonding process with other atoms
• with the exception of hydrogen, most non-metals will gain or share one or more electrons in order to have 8 valence electrons
• most metals will lose or share

Question 5

Explain why the concept of orbital hybridization in necessary to explain the bonding in carbon.

Answer 5

Its necessary for justifying why most carbon compounds form four identical bonds. Without hybrid orbitals, bonding theory predicts that carbon forms only two bonds, using 2 p orbitals.