Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Ionic and Covalent Bonds and Compunds

​Compounds are formed by chemical reactions. When elements react together to form compounds, their atoms join together with other atoms using chemical bonds. For example, iron and sulfur react together to form a compound called iron sulfide. There are two types of bonds: ionic bonds and covalent bonds. An ionic bond is a bond that is formed by atoms losing or gaining electrons (ions). An ionic bond involves a metal and nonmetal ion. A covalent bond is a bond that is formed when atoms share electron pairs (these electron pairs are also called bonding pairs). There are two types of compounds: ionic compounds and covalent compounds. Ionic compounds are formed when ions are held together in a structure by ionic bonding. Covalent compounds are formed when two or more nonmetal atoms bond by sharing electrons (covalent bonding).


One example of an ionic compound is baking soda (NaHCO3) (also known as sodium bicarbonate). It is an ionic compound because ionic bonds are formed with metal and nonmetal atoms. Sodium (Na) is a alkali metal, Hydrogen (H) is a nonmetal (does not belong to any group), Oxygen (O) is a Chalcogen nonmetal, and Carbon (C) is a also a nonmetal (in group 14 but that group doesn't have a group name). Another example of an ionic compound is marble (CaCO3) (also known as calcium carbonate). It is also an ionic compound since its ionic bonds are formed with atoms of a metal and a nonmetal. Calcium (Ca) is a alkaline Earth metal, Carbon (C) is a nonmetal, and Oxygen (O) is a Chalcogen nonmetal.

One example of a covalent compound is sugar (C12H22O11) (also known as sucrose). It is a covalent compound because covalent bonds are formed with only nonmetal atoms. Carbon (C) is a nonmetal, Hydrogen (H) is a nonmetal, and Oxygen (O) is a Chalcogen nonmetal. Another example of a covalent compound is vinegar (C2H4O2) (also known as acetic acid,  or ethanoic acid). Carbon (C) is a nonmetal, Hydrogen (H) is a nonmetal, and Oxygen (O) is a Chalcogen nonmetal.


As you can see, there are ionic and covalent compounds all around us and we use them in our everyday lives, and that the same elements can form different compounds (sugar and vinegar are both different substances but they are both made out of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen).


- Emaan Khurram

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