McMurry (Kap. 1,5)

Question 1

How can the sharing of two valence electrons become a bond between two atoms? (in a covalent bond?)

Answer 1

That can be answered by using the Valence Bond Theory or also Molecular bond Theory.

Question 2

What does the Valence Bond Theory describe?

Answer 2

when the orbitals of two atoms overlap, then the electrons are paired in the overlapping orbital part, and are attracted to the positively charged nuclei of the other atom.

Question 3

What is a sigma bond?

Answer 3

The bond formed by the overlap of two atomic orbitals. (covalent bond)

Question 4

What is the bond strength?

Answer 4

The energy released when the atoms form a bond, or the energy to use to break the bond.

Question 5

What is the bond length?

Answer 5

The distance between nuclei at the minimum energy point (most stable) is the bond length.

If the atoms is too close to each other, they start to repel each other because of the nuclei’s (same charge), but if the are to far apart, they cannot overlap each other.

When the atoms is too far apart (the energy is still lesser then if they are too close to each other)