AQA · GCSE · Combined Science
Course version: 8464 · Version from Sept 2018
Chemical bonds: Students should be able to explain chemical bonding in terms of electrostatic forces and the transfer or sharing of electrons.
Chemical bonding can be explained by electrostatic forces and by the transfer or sharing of electrons.
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Chemical bonding can be explained by electrostatic forces and by the transfer or sharing of electrons. In ionic bonding, a metal atom transfers one or more electrons to a non-metal atom, forming positive and negative ions that attract each other in a giant lattice, as in sodium chloride. In covalent bonding, non-metal atoms share pairs of electrons so that both nuclei are attracted to the shared pair, as in a hydrogen molecule or water. In metallic bonding, positive ions are attracted to a sea of delocalised electrons. In every case the bond is the electrostatic attraction between opposite charges, and the type of bonding depends on whether electrons are transferred or shared.
What earns the marks
- Chemical bonds arise from electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged particles.
- Ionic bonding involves transfer of electrons from a metal atom to a non-metal atom.
- Ionic bonding produces positive and negative ions held in a giant lattice.
- Covalent bonding involves sharing pairs of electrons between non-metal atoms.
- In covalent bonding, the shared pair is attracted to both nuclei.
- Metallic bonding involves attraction between positive ions and delocalised electrons.
- The type of bonding present depends on whether electrons are transferred or shared.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Saying covalent bonds involve transfer of electrons.
Put it right by stating that non-metal atoms share pairs of electrons.
Describing ionic bonding as sharing electrons.
Put it right by explaining that electrons are transferred to form ions.
Stating that bonds form because atoms want full shells without mentioning electrostatic attraction.
Put it right by linking bond formation to attraction between opposite charges.
Exam tips
- Name the particles involved and state whether electrons are transferred or shared before explaining the attraction.
- Use a dot-and-cross diagram to support your explanation of electron transfer or sharing.
- For each example, identify the electrostatic attraction that holds the particles together.
Try the lesson
The start of the Chemical bonds: Students should be able to explain chemical bonding in terms of electrostatic forces and the transfer or sharing of electrons. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Sodium reacts with chlorine to form sodium chloride. Which statement describes how bonding occurs in sodium chloride?
Key words
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Electrostatic forces
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Electron transfer
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Electron sharing
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Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding
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See every definition
- Electrostatic forces
- Chemical bonds arise from the attraction between oppositely charged particles, and in every case the bond is this attraction between opposite charges.
- Electron transfer
- In ionic bonding, a metal atom transfers one or more electrons to a non-metal atom, forming positive and negative ions held in a giant lattice.
- Electron sharing
- In covalent bonding, non-metal atoms share pairs of electrons so that both nuclei are attracted to the shared pair.
- Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding
- The type of bonding present depends on whether electrons are transferred or shared, with positive ions attracted to a sea of delocalised electrons in the metallic case.
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