Chemical Bonding

What this page covers

This unit sits in the strand Atoms, Bonding and the Periodic Table, within Chemistry. The listed resources follow the usual route through bonding: ionic, covalent and metallic bonding, then electronegativity, molecular shapes and the forces between molecules.

Most of the material is aimed at school level, and several resources name exams such as GCSE Chemistry, A-level Chemistry, IGCSE Chemistry, IB Chemistry and AP Chemistry. Check that a resource matches your course before you rely on it.

Where to start

If bonding is new, begin with the simple types. Open the mind maps called Ionic bonding and Covalent Bonding to see how each type works and what properties it gives a substance. The mind map AS Chemistry Bonding and Structure puts ionic, covalent and metallic bonding side by side, which helps with comparing them.

1. Read a bonding mind map for the overview.
2. Move to shapes: the note Shapes of molecules and intermolecular forces lists linear, V-shaped, trigonal planar, pyramidal and tetrahedral.
3. Look at the flashcard deck on shapes of molecules and ions, which gives bond angles, bond pairs and lone pairs for examples such as CO2 and CH4.
4. Finish with forces between molecules, using the mind map 6.4 Hydrogen Bonding and the slide set Intermolecular forces (A level).

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a mind map first, then take a quiz on the same idea. Quizzes such as Ionic and Covalent Bonding Quiz, Lewis Structures and Shapes of Molecules show quickly which ideas are firm and which are not. Go back to the matching map or note for anything you missed, then try the quiz again.

Flashcards suit facts you need to recall, such as bond angles or ions. The deck Bonding - Exam Questions is useful once you know the basics.

For teachers

Teachers can pick a mind map to introduce a lesson, a note as a handout, or a quiz as a short check. Everything was made by GoConqr users, so skim a resource before you share it with a class.

Next step

Choose one resource that matches your course, work through it, and come back for the next. You can also make your own set to fill any gap.