Ionic & Covalent Bonds Name(s): Jessica Swanson Class: AP Biology Date: July 31, 2013

Compounds form when two or more atoms are chemically bonded to one another. But are all bonds created equal? In this lesson, you will see how the nature of a chemical bond affects the characteristics of a compound or molecule.

Use the listed web sites, or additional web resources you may find, to complete rows 1-8 in Table 1. You will fill in the remaining rows as you answer the questions that follow the table. Be sure to note the source(s) of your data below.

Data Sources

Name of Site

URL Address

Laboratory Chemical Safety Studies http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4911&page=235 The Chemical Database http://ull.chemistry.uakron.edu/erd/ MatWeb http://www.matweb.com/search/search.aspx Web Elements http://www.webelements.com/ Pauling's Electronegativity Values of the Elements http://www2.ucdsb.on.ca/tiss/stretton/database/electronegativity.htm

1. After considering the melting points and boiling points, indicate each compound's physical state at room temperature, which is approximately 20 oC. Record your answers in row 9.

2. Calculate the difference in electronegativities for each compound. Show this calculation and its result in row 10.

3. The type of bonds within a compound is determined by the electronegativity difference between its component atoms. If there is no electronegativity difference, atoms share electrons equally between them, and the bond is termed nonpolar covalent. If the electronegativity difference is less than or equal to 1.67, there is unequal sharing of electrons between the atoms, and the bond is termed polar covalent. If the electronegativity difference is greater than 1.67, the electrons are transferred between the atoms, and the bond is termed ionic. In row 11, indicate the type of bond found in each of the compounds or molecules.

4. Whether an electronegativity difference is classified as ionic or covalent is somewhat arbitrary. Can we really say that the bonded electrons in a compound with an electronegativity difference of 1.7 are transferred, but those in a compound whose electronegativity difference is 1.6 are unequally shared? The percent ionic character of a bond is a better indicator of the true nature of a chemical bond, as no bond involves completely equal sharing of electrons, unless there is no electronegativity difference between the atoms. The percent ionic character is calculated as follows:

P = 18 (E2 - E1)1.4, where P is the percent ionic character, and E represents an element's electronegativity. Calculate the percent ionic character for each compound. Show this calculation and its result in row 12.

5. After considering the shape of the compound and the polarity of its bonds, determine whether the compound itself is polar or nonpolar. Record your answers in Row 13. Analysis of Data

1. What is the relationship between the chemical bond type and melting point of a compound? The melting point is higher for ionic bonds and lower for covalent bonds.

2. What is the relationship between a compound's chemical bond type and its phase at room temperature? Ionic bonds tend to produce compounds that are solid at room temperature while covalent bonds have compounds that are liquids or gases at room temperature.

3. What is the relationship between a compound's chemical bond type and its mass and/or density? There doesnt seem to be a correlation between the bond type and the mass. Covalent bonded compounds tend to have lower densities.

4. What is the relationship between the chemical bond type and water solubility of a compound? More reactions and less solubility occurs in compounds that are covalently bonded.

5. What is the relationship between a compound's polarity and its solubility in water? Polar compounds are either insoluble or nearly insoluble in water.

6. Which quantity helps you better understand the relationships between bond type and physical characteristicselectronegativity difference or percent ionic character? Explain. Percent ionic character provides a scale of 100, whereas electronegativity is more difficult to comprehend within a scope. Percentages can be more easily compared than electronegativities. For this reason, ionic character provides a better understanding of the relationships between bond type and physical characteristics.

7. Were there any nonpolar compounds that had polar covalent bonds? If so, which ones? Explain this apparent inconsistency. There were no nonpolar compounds with polar covalent bonds according to my research.