chemical bonding: Quick Facts

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Diagram showing four types of crystal bonding: ionic bonding with sodium and chlorine ions, covalent bonding with carbon atoms sharing electrons, metallic bonding with iron ions surrounded by free electrons, and molecular bonding with hydrogen molecules held by weak electrical attraction.

molecular structure

A chart of the periodic table of the elements, showing elements arranged by atomic number in rows called periods and columns called groups, with both Roman numerals and numbers 1 to 18 labeling the groups. The table highlights s, d, p, and f blocks and separates the lanthanoids and actinoids below the main table.

Diagram of the Rutherford atomic model for a neon atom, showing electrons orbiting a central nucleus. An inset magnifies the nucleus, depicting clustered protons and neutrons.

Diagram of the Bohr atomic model for a nitrogen atom, showing a central nucleus with protons and neutrons, surrounded by two rings of orbiting electrons. Labels identify protons, neutrons, electrons, and electron orbits.

A blue shaded sphere represents the boundary surface of an s orbital, with red arrows pointing outward to illustrate the region where an electron is most likely to be found according to its wavefunction.

Diagram showing the shapes and orientations of the three p orbitals-p_x, p_y, and p_z-each with two lobes on opposite sides of the nucleus and aligned along the x, y, or z axis, with nodal planes at the nucleus.

Diagram showing the shapes of the five d orbitals in an atom, each labeled as d z squared, d x squared minus y squared, d yz, d zx, and d xy, with axes marked for orientation.

Vertical diagram illustrating the Born-Haber cycle for sodium chloride, showing enthalpy changes in kilojoules per mole at each step from solid sodium and chlorine gas to solid NaCl, with labeled energy levels and transitions between reactants, ions, and final compound.

Diagram of the crystal structure of nickel arsenide showing blue spheres for arsenic atoms and yellow spheres for nickel atoms arranged in a repeating three-dimensional lattice, with lines indicating atomic bonds.

Diagram of sodium and chlorine atoms showing ionic bonding: sodium atom on left with positive sign, chlorine atom on right with negative sign, illustrating electron transfer to form sodium chloride.

Understanding chemical reactions through combustion

Understanding John Dalton's atomic theory of matter

Investigate the magnetlike ionic bond formed when electrons transfer from one atom to another

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Topics

homolysis heterolysis bond angle valence bond theory molecular orbital theory bond direction bond energy bond length bond strength configuration interaction chemical element nuclear fission catalysis nuclear fusion chemical reaction phase deformation and flow friction diffusion work

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Key People

Linus Pauling

Linus Pauling

American scientist

Langmuir, Irving

Irving Langmuir

American chemist

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Walter Kohn

American physicist

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William Nunn Lipscomb, Jr.

American chemist

Mulliken, 1966

Robert Sanderson Mulliken

American chemist and physicist

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Archibald Scott Couper

Scottish chemist

Butlerov, portrait by an unknown artist

Aleksandr Butlerov

Russian chemist

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Nevil Vincent Sidgwick

British chemist

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Friedrich Hund

German physicist

A person's hand pouring blue fluid from a flask into a beaker. Chemistry, scientific experiments, science experiments, science demonstrations, scientific demonstrations.

Ins and Outs of Chemistry

Periodic Table of the elements concept image (chemistry)

Facts You Should Know: The Periodic Table Quiz