Classify the following bonds as ionic, covalent, or neither (O, atomic number 8; F, atomic number 9; Na, atomic number 11; Cl, atomic number 17; U, atomic number 92).
a.) O with F _________
b.) Ca with Cl __________
c.) Na with Na _________
d.) U with Cl __________
First, I do not understand what the atomic number has to do with the type of bonding. Second, I learned that an atom that has only a few electrons in its valence shell will readily give up its electrons to form an ionic bond with an atom that has a mostly full valence shell. Covalent bonds tend to form between elements that both have a strong hold on their electrons. So, I would say the answers should be: a) O with F is covalent since they both have most of their electrons in their valence shells; b) Ca with Cl is ionic since CA only has 2 out of 18 electrons in its valence shell and so would have a weak attraction on them, while Cl has 7 out of 8 electrons and so would have a strong attraction for one of Ca's extra electrons; c) Na with Na would be neither, since each has a weak attraction for electrons; d) U with Cl would be either ionic because U has only 6 out of 32 electrons in its valence shell which would be attracted by the Cl, or neither because they would both hold onto their electrons.
Is this right? Thanks!
I agree with a and b.
I don't agree with c. If Na bonds to Na it will be covalent just as O2, H2, N2, etc, are covalent.
Probably UCl6 is ionic. The electronegativity of U is about 1.4 and Cl is about 3; the difference is about 1.8 and that is close to the 1.9 we usually use for the 50% ionic/covalent character. A more accurate description might be a polar covalent bond for UCl6 but you don't have that as a choice.
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You are partially correct. The type of bond formed between atoms can indeed be influenced by the number of electrons in their valence shells.
However, the atomic number is relevant in determining the number of electrons an element has and its position in the periodic table. This information is useful in understanding the tendency of an atom to gain or lose electrons during bonding.
Now, let's classify the bonds for each case:
a) O with F: Oxygen (O) has 6 electrons in its valence shell (needs 2 more to have a stable octet), while Fluorine (F) has 7 electrons in its valence shell (needs 1 more to have a stable octet). Since both O and F have similar electronegativities and share electrons to achieve stability, the bond between them is covalent.
b) Ca with Cl: Calcium (Ca) has 2 electrons in its valence shell (needs to lose 2 to have a stable octet), while Chlorine (Cl) has 7 electrons in its valence shell (needs to gain 1 to have a stable octet). Since Ca readily donates 2 electrons to Cl, the bond is ionic.
c) Na with Na: Sodium (Na) has 1 electron in its valence shell and has a tendency to lose it to achieve a stable octet. Therefore, Na forms an ionic bond with another Na atom, resulting in a bond between two Na+ ions.
d) U with Cl: Uranium (U) has 6 electrons in its valence shell (needs to gain 2 to have a stable octet), while Chlorine (Cl) has 7 electrons in its valence shell (needs to gain 1 to have a stable octet). Since U has a strong tendency to form U2+ ions, and Cl has a strong tendency to gain 1 electron, the bond between them is ionic.
So, the correct classifications are:
a) O with F: Covalent
b) Ca with Cl: Ionic
c) Na with Na: Ionic
d) U with Cl: Ionic
You've made some good observations, but let me clarify the concepts further to help you classify the bonds correctly.
The atomic number of an element represents the number of protons in its nucleus, which determines its identity. It doesn't directly relate to the type of bonding between elements, but it does help in understanding their electron configurations.
For a) O with F: Oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons, while Fluorine (F) has 7 valence electrons. Both of them require one additional electron to achieve a stable electron configuration. Because they have a similar electronegativity (ability to attract electrons), they share electrons in a covalent bond. Therefore, the bond between O and F is covalent.
For b) Ca with Cl: Calcium (Ca) has 2 valence electrons, while Chlorine (Cl) has 7 valence electrons. Calcium has a relatively low electronegativity and readily loses its two valence electrons, while Chlorine is highly electronegative and readily gains electrons. As a result, Calcium donates its two electrons to Chlorine, forming an ionic bond. Therefore, the bond between Ca and Cl is ionic.
For c) Na with Na: Sodium (Na) has one valence electron, which is easily lost, and is highly reactive due to its low electronegativity. When two sodium atoms come together, they readily donate their valence electrons to each other, forming a metallic bond. Therefore, the bond between Na and Na is metallic.
For d) U with Cl: Uranium (U) has 6 valence electrons, while Chlorine (Cl) has 7 valence electrons. Uranium can either lose its valence electrons to become U4+ or gain electrons to become U6+. Chlorine has a strong electronegativity and tends to gain electrons. Therefore, Uranium can either donate or share its electrons with Chlorine, resulting in either an ionic or covalent bond. Hence, the bond between U and Cl can be either ionic or covalent.
In summary:
a) O with F: Covalent bond
b) Ca with Cl: Ionic bond
c) Na with Na: Metallic bond
d) U with Cl: Either ionic or covalent
Remember, the type of bond depends on the difference in electronegativities between the elements involved, as well as their ability to donate or accept electrons.