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5: Covalent Bonding and Simple Molecular Compounds

  • Page ID
    387533
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    Ionic bonding results from the transfer of electrons among atoms or groups of atoms. In this chapter, we will consider another type of bonding—covalent bonding. We will examine how atoms share electrons to form these bonds, and we will begin to explore how the resulting compounds, such as cholesterol, are different from ionic compounds.

    • 5.1: Covalent Bonds
      A covalent bond is formed between two atoms by sharing electrons.
    • 5.2: Covalent Compounds- Formulas and Names
      The chemical formula of a simple covalent compound can be determined from its name. The name of a simple covalent compound can be determined from its chemical formula.
    • 5.3: Multiple Covalent Bonds
      Some molecules must have multiple covalent bonds between atoms to satisfy the octet rule.
    • 5.4: Characteristics of Covalent Bonds
      Covalent bonds between different atoms have different bond lengths. Covalent bonds can be polar or nonpolar, depending on the electronegativity difference between the atoms involved.
    • 5.5: Characteristics of Molecules
      A molecule has a certain mass, called the molecular mass. Simple molecules have geometries that can be determined from VSEPR theory.
    • 5.6: Intermolecular Forces
      The physical properties of melting point, boiling point, vapor pressure, evaporation, viscosity, surface tension, and solubility are related to the strength of attractive forces between molecules. These attractive forces are called Intermolecular Forces. The amount of "stick togetherness" is important in the interpretation of the various properties listed above.
    • 5.7: Chapter Summary
      To ensure that you understand the material in this chapter, you should review the meanings of the following bold terms in the following summary and ask yourself how they relate to the topics in the chapter.


    5: Covalent Bonding and Simple Molecular Compounds is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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