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Bonding in Atoms

Heteroatomic molecules

When atoms of different types combine to form molecules, it is a heteroatomic molecule. For example, when Carbon (C) and Oxygen (O) atoms combine under an appropriate reaction condition, it can lead to the formation of two types of products (carbon monoxide, CO, and carbon dioxide, CO2) containing two types of atoms.

A heteroatomic molecule can be diatomic (like hydrogen chloride, HCl), triatomic (like water, H2O), or polyatomic (like methane, CH4). 

Homoatomic molecules

When the atoms combining to form molecules are of the same type, it is a homoatomic molecule. For example, when two Hydrogen atoms (2H) combine under an appropriate reaction condition, a Hydrogen molecule (H2) is formed.

A homoatomic molecule can be diatomic (like elemental hydrogen, H2), triatomic (like ozone, O3), or polyatomic (like sulphur allotrope, S8). 

Octet Rule

Atoms generally form bonding arrangements that give them filled shells of electrons like a noble gas configuration. The stability the atom aims for is that of its nearest noble gas.

For example, Lithium (Z = 3, Electronic Configuration = 1s2, 2s1) of the second row would prefer losing one electron to become Li+ (Z = 3, Electronic Configuration = 1s2) having an electronic arrangement similar to its nearest noble gas Helium (Z = 2, Electronic Configuration = 1s2). 

Are ions a type of atom?

Atom, the omnipresent particle that builds the universe, hides its identity in a tiny, sub-atomic particle- the proton, where the proton number decides the type of the atom. However, an outer-nuclear component- the electrons- determines an atom's reactivity.

In nuclear reactions, the proton number can change so that the atom's identity also changes. However, in organic chemical reactions, only the electron count changes without affecting an atom's identity. 

Ion

Ion is different from an atom since an atom is an electrically neutral specie with an equal number of positive protons and negative electrons.

 

How atom is different from ion

 

What is a metallic bond and how does it form?

A metallic bond is a chemical bond seen in metals consisting of tightly bound metal atoms of the same type. 

Metals are large atoms that do not firmly hold their outermost valence electrons and easily lose them. Once the electrons are lost, the metal atoms become positively charged, called kernels. The position of these kernels is fixed to avoid repulsions and is part of the solid structure. 

Metallic Bond

A metallic solid is made of many metal atoms composed of kernels and electrons, the positive kernels held in arrays while the negative electrons float around them, at the same time, attracted to each other due to their opposite electrostatic nature and engaged in bonding known as the metallic bond.

Metallic Bond

Pre-requisite: Nuclear charge, Valence electrons

Stovetop cooking routinely requires cast iron or aluminium pans but never a glass pan or a pan made of silicon. That’s because the glass pan will shatter at high temperatures, and the silicon pan will burn away.

What is the Strongest Bond in Chemistry?

A chemical bond strength is a force holding the atoms in a bond, and separating such atoms requires energy input. The bonds are of two types- Intermolecular and Intramolecular bonds.

Intramolecular bonds join the atoms in a molecule, whereas Intermolecular bonds are only responsible for closely associating the molecules. Therefore, Intramolecular bonds require higher energy to break than intermolecular bonds.