The bonds that can be established between atoms and molecules in nature are different.
Everything that surrounds us is made up of matter . The physical support in which we read articles like this, the air we breathe or ourselves are made up of millions of linked atoms and molecules.
But how does matter combine? This article talks about the most basic union between atoms and molecules, that is, about the different types of chemical bonds that exist in nature.
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What is a chemical bond?
A chemical bond is nothing more than the union between two atoms or molecules . These are connections that are established and that give stability at a chemical level, but first you have to understand what atoms and molecules are.
Atoms are considered the basic units of matter. They are made up of other elements: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Although neutrons have no electrical charge, protons and electrons have positive and negative charges, respectively.
Then each atom reaches a stability between these parts, existing atoms of all the elements of the periodic table. However, they can be combined between them, forming chemical bonds between atoms giving rise to molecules or bonds between the latter.
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The 8 different types of chemical bonds and their characteristics
The forms that matter has to organize itself through chemical bonds are diverse . Some of the combinations focus on atoms of the same element, while others allow the formation of molecules or groups of them.
Below are all the possibilities that the science of chemistry allows. A presentation of the different types of chemical bonds between atoms and molecules with all their basic characteristics.
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1. Ionic bond
The bond that establishes an ionic bond brings two atoms together . It is based on the electrical difference manifested between certain atoms, which can attract each other and form a union.
For example, potassium chloride (KCl) joins two ions with opposite electronegativity tendencies. Chloride ions have a negative charge, while potassium ions have a positive charge. This causes them to come together to form these crystalline structures, although they dissolve in water and separate.
2. Polar covalent bond
Covalent bonds are stronger than ionic bonds . There are two types of covalent chemical bonds, the polar being the one established between atoms with very different charges. An example of this type of bond is hydrochloric acid (HCl), The bond between the hydrogen atom and the chloride atom gives properties and characteristics that give greater stability than in the previous case.
3. Nonpolar covalent bond
The nonpolar covalent bond joins two atoms with the same electrical charge . It is the union between atoms of the same element of the periodic table, giving rise to molecules with their own chemical characteristics.
There are many representative examples, such as the oxygen we breathe. Molecules made up of two oxygen atoms (O2) are found naturally in the air, giving rise to a type of bond with a high resistance to breaking.
4. Metallic bond
The metallic bond is also established between elements of the same type . The difference in this case is that it refers to those considered metallic elements in the periodic table.
Thus, a piece of iron or aluminum is made up of a network of intertwined metal ions. This type of bond is very resistant and allows the conduction of electricity through the atoms to be very effective.
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5. dative bond
The dative bond is a type of bond with a lot of asymmetry . One of the atoms completely gives up one or more electrons to the other, which reorganizes the charge of each electron and establishes a very strong bond.
An example of this type of chemical bond is the one that can be found in ammonium (NH4). In this molecule, the hydrogen ions donate electrons to the nitrogen atom, forming a very strong bond.
6. Bond by Van der Waals force
This type of bond forms weak bonds between molecules . They are bonds that are established momentarily, and are due to variations in the distribution of electrons in different molecules.
Nitrogen oxide (NO) is one of many examples of this type of force, but it always happens in nonpolar molecules. With molecules with a polar covalent bond, this situation cannot occur due to the very nature of the bond.
7. Diplo-diplo links
Diplo-diplo bonds occur between molecules with polar covalent bonds . These are interactions between strongly bonded molecules, which gives rise to a series of properties and characteristics typical of this type of bond (higher melting and boiling points, etc.).
Possibilities exist within diplo-diplo bonds, such as those created from London forces or hydrogen bonds. They create a network of interactions between molecules that make a substance acquire its own properties, as is the case with water.
8. Aromatic bonds
Aromatic bonds form ring-shaped structures in two dimensions . The most representative example is benzene, which is formed with a ring of six carbon atoms.
Electronegativity differences appear in these bonds that determine the chemical behavior of volatility. It is a type of link that is not as widespread in nature as the previous ones, but with its own properties and characteristics.
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Bibliographic references
- Cotton, F.A. and Wilkinson, G. (1980). Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (Fourth Edition). New York (NY), USA: Wiley.
- Greenwood, N.N., & Earnshaw, A. (1998). Chemistry of the Elements (Second Edition). Burlington (MA), USA: Butterworth-Heinemann, Elsevier Science.
- Reinhardt, C. (2001). Chemical Sciences in the 20th Century. Bridging Boundaries. New York (NY), USA: Wiley-VCH.
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