Chemical bonds

Ionic bond

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Ionic bonding occurs by the passing of electrons between atoms giving rise to stable cations and anions. Notice what happens to the electrons as the atoms approach each other.

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Forces in an ionic bond

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Two forces are involved in ionic bonding, one attractive and one repulsive. Notice how these forces change depending on the distance between the ions.

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Covalent bond

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Covalent bonding occurs by the sharing of electron pairs between two atoms. Notice what happens to the electrons when the atoms are brought closer together.

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Covalent hydrocarbon bonds

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This simulation allows us to build hydrocarbon molecules by combining carbon and hydrogen atoms.

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Molecule polarity

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When is a molecule polar? Change the electronegativity of the atoms in a molecule to see how it affects polarity. See how the molecule behaves in an electric field. Change the bond angle to see how it affects the polarity shape.

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