Introduction

Do you know how atoms bond to form compounds?



B4.1 molecule with two hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxygen atom
Compounds are created when elements react together to form chemical bonds. In this lesson, you will investigate why atoms bond and look at two specific types of chemical bonds: covalent bonds, in which non-metal atoms share electrons, and ionic bonds, in which metal atoms and non-metal atoms transfer electrons.

This lesson will give you the knowledge base you need to understand how atoms form ionic and covalent bonds.

  Targets

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to

  • understand the octet rule and its significance in the formation of compounds
  • illustrate how ionic bonds are formed
  • illustrate how covalent bonds are formed
  • identify compounds as ionic or molecular based on the elements they are composed of
  • explain the importance and need of a unified naming system for compounds

  Watch This

Chemical Bonding – Ionic vs. Covalent Bonds @ YouTube RicochetScience


Watch this video to understand why and how atoms bond. Please note that the modified Bohr diagrams in this video do not always show the electrons paired up into orbitals. As well, it would be called a chloride ion, not a chlorine ion. This will help get you in the right mindset for this lesson.