what does small electronegativity difference reveal about the strength of a covalent bond?
Not much about the strength of the bond but a lot about the bond polarity.
A small electronegativity difference indicates that the covalent bond is not very polar.
The strength of a covalent bond, in terms of the electronegativity difference between the bonded atoms, is related to the type of covalent bond formed. The electronegativity is a measure of an atom's tendency to attract electrons towards itself in a chemical bond.
To determine the strength of a covalent bond based on the electronegativity difference, you can follow these steps:
1. Determine the electronegativity values of the atoms involved in the bond. Electronegativity values can be found in the periodic table.
2. Calculate the electronegativity difference by subtracting the electronegativity of the less electronegative atom from the electronegativity of the more electronegative atom. This provides an indication of the polarity of the bond.
3. If the electronegativity difference is small (less than 0.5), the bond is considered nonpolar covalent. In a nonpolar covalent bond, the shared electrons are equally attracted to both atoms, resulting in a balanced distribution of charge.
4. If the electronegativity difference is moderate (between 0.5 and 1.7), the bond is considered polar covalent. In a polar covalent bond, the shared electrons are not equally attracted to both atoms, causing a partial separation of charge across the bond.
5. If the electronegativity difference is large (greater than 1.7), the bond is considered ionic. In an ionic bond, one atom completely transfers its electron(s) to the other, resulting in ions with opposite charges that are held together by electrostatic forces.
In summary, a small electronegativity difference between bonded atoms indicates a nonpolar covalent bond with equal sharing of electrons. The smaller the electronegativity difference, the stronger the covalent bond tends to be.