Suppose a large atom bonds with a small atom. Predict whether the properties of the new molecule will be the same as the large atom, the same as the small atom, or different from both atoms.
Easy. Uranium hexafluoride. One great massive atom, six small. IT has chemical properties different from Uranium metal, and fluorine.
Suppose a large atom bonds with a small atom. Predict whether the properties of the new molecule will be the same as the large atom, the same as the small atom, or different from both atoms.
What is Uranium Hexafluoride?
Suppose a large atom bonds with a small atom. Predict whether the properties of the new molecule will be the same as the large atom, the same as the small atom, or different from both atoms.
To predict the properties of a molecule formed by the bonding of a large atom with a small atom, we need to consider some basic concepts of chemical bonding.
When atoms bond, they share, donate, or receive electrons to achieve a more stable electron configuration. This results in the formation of a chemical bond and the creation of a new molecule.
The nature of the new molecule will depend on the type of bonding between the atoms. There are two main types of chemical bonds: covalent bonds and ionic bonds.
1. Covalent Bonding:
In covalent bonding, atoms share electrons to complete their outer electron shells. This type of bonding usually occurs between two nonmetals or between a nonmetal and a metalloid.
If a large atom (e.g., an atom with many valence electrons) bonds with a small atom (e.g., an atom with fewer valence electrons), the large atom tends to share more electrons than the small atom. As a result, the properties of the new molecule will be different from both the large and small atom. It may exhibit a combination of properties from both atoms, but it will have unique characteristics determined by the electron sharing.
For example, if a large atom like chlorine (Cl) bonds with a small atom like hydrogen (H) to form hydrogen chloride (HCl), the properties of HCl will be distinct from both chlorine and hydrogen. HCl is a colorless, acidic gas with different physical and chemical properties than either of the constituent elements.
2. Ionic Bonding:
In ionic bonding, atoms transfer electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration. Typically, this type of bonding occurs between a metal and a nonmetal.
When a large atom bonds with a small atom through ionic bonding, the larger atom will tend to donate electrons to the smaller atom, resulting in the formation of ions. The resulting molecule will have a crystal lattice structure and exhibit different properties from both the large and small atoms.
For example, when sodium (Na) (a large atom) reacts with chlorine (Cl) (a small atom), sodium donates its electron to chlorine, creating sodium cations (Na+) and chloride anions (Cl−). The resulting compound, sodium chloride (NaCl), is a white crystalline solid with distinct properties different from both sodium and chlorine.
In summary, the properties of the new molecule formed by the bonding of a large atom with a small atom will generally be different from both atoms. The type of bonding (covalent or ionic) and the electron-sharing or electron-transfer tendencies between the atoms determine the unique properties of the resulting molecule.