Chemical Bonding
Each list begins with basic conceptual vocabulary you need to know for MCAT questions and proceeds to advanced terms that might appear in context in MCAT passages. The terms are links to Wikipedia articles.
Chemical bond
A chemical bond is the physical process responsible for the attractive interactions between atoms and molecules which confers stability to diatomic and polyatomic chemical compounds.
A chemical bond is the physical process responsible for the attractive interactions between atoms and molecules which confers stability to diatomic and polyatomic chemical compounds.
Covalent bond
Covalent bonding is a form of attraction-to-repulsion stability that forms between atoms when they share electrons.
Covalent bonding is a form of attraction-to-repulsion stability that forms between atoms when they share electrons.
Molecule
A molecule is defined as a sufficiently stable electrically neutral group of at least two atoms in a definite arrangement held together by strong chemical bonds.
A molecule is defined as a sufficiently stable electrically neutral group of at least two atoms in a definite arrangement held together by strong chemical bonds.
Chemical compound
A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more elements chemically-bonded together in a fixed proportion by mass.
A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more elements chemically-bonded together in a fixed proportion by mass.
Ionic bond
An ionic bond (or electrovalent bond) is a type of chemical bond based on electrostatic forces between two oppositely-charged ions.
An ionic bond (or electrovalent bond) is a type of chemical bond based on electrostatic forces between two oppositely-charged ions.
Octet rule
The octet rule is a simple chemical rule of thumb that states that atoms tend to combine in such a way that they each have a noble gas configuration in their valence shells.
The octet rule is a simple chemical rule of thumb that states that atoms tend to combine in such a way that they each have a noble gas configuration in their valence shells.
Bond energy
Bond energy is the enthalpy change involved with breaking up a neutral molecule into subtitutent neutral elements.
Bond energy is the enthalpy change involved with breaking up a neutral molecule into subtitutent neutral elements.
Lewis structure
Lewis structures, also called electron-dot structures or electron-dot diagrams, are diagrams that show the bonding between atoms of a molecule, and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist in the molecule.
Lewis structures, also called electron-dot structures or electron-dot diagrams, are diagrams that show the bonding between atoms of a molecule, and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist in the molecule.
Valence bond theory
Valence bond theory explains the nature of a chemical bond in a molecule in terms of atomic valencies.
Valence bond theory explains the nature of a chemical bond in a molecule in terms of atomic valencies.
Resonance
Resonance is a tool used to represent and model certain types of non-classical molecular structures arising when no single conventional model showing electrons shared exclusively by two atoms can actually represent the observed molecule.
Resonance is a tool used to represent and model certain types of non-classical molecular structures arising when no single conventional model showing electrons shared exclusively by two atoms can actually represent the observed molecule.
Valence
Valence is a measure of the number of chemical bonds formed by the atoms of a given element.
Valence is a measure of the number of chemical bonds formed by the atoms of a given element.
Valence electron
Valence electrons are the electrons contained in the outermost electron shell of an atom.
Valence electrons are the electrons contained in the outermost electron shell of an atom.
Formal charge
A formal charge is a partial charge on an atom in a molecule assigned by assuming that electrons in a chemical bond are shared equally between atoms, regardless of relative electronegativity.
A formal charge is a partial charge on an atom in a molecule assigned by assuming that electrons in a chemical bond are shared equally between atoms, regardless of relative electronegativity.
Bond dipole moment
The bond dipole moment is a measure for the polarity of a chemical bond within a molecule.
The bond dipole moment is a measure for the polarity of a chemical bond within a molecule.
Bond dissociation energy
Bond dissociation energy is defined as the standard enthalpy change when a bond is cleaved by homolysis at 0K (absolute zero).
Bond dissociation energy is defined as the standard enthalpy change when a bond is cleaved by homolysis at 0K (absolute zero).
Bond order
Bond order is the number of bonds between a pair of atoms.
Bond order is the number of bonds between a pair of atoms.
Polarity
Chemical polarity is a concept in chemistry which describes how bonding electrons may or may not be equally shared between atoms.
Chemical polarity is a concept in chemistry which describes how bonding electrons may or may not be equally shared between atoms.
Molecular orbital
A molecular orbital is a region in which an electron may be found in a molecule.
A molecular orbital is a region in which an electron may be found in a molecule.
Molecular orbital theory
Molecular orbital theory is a method for determining molecular structure in which electrons are not assigned to individual bonds between atoms, but are treated as under the influence of the nuclei in the whole molecule.
Molecular orbital theory is a method for determining molecular structure in which electrons are not assigned to individual bonds between atoms, but are treated as under the influence of the nuclei in the whole molecule.
Lone pair
A lone pair is a valence electron pair without bonding or sharing with other atoms.
A lone pair is a valence electron pair without bonding or sharing with other atoms.
Orbital hybridization
Orbital hybridization is the concept of mixing atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals suitable for the qualitative description of atomic bonding properties.
Orbital hybridization is the concept of mixing atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals suitable for the qualitative description of atomic bonding properties.
Delocalized electron
Delocalized electrons are electrons in a molecule that are not associated with a single atom or covalent bond but contained within an orbital that extends over several adjacent atoms.
Delocalized electrons are electrons in a molecule that are not associated with a single atom or covalent bond but contained within an orbital that extends over several adjacent atoms.
VSEPR
VSEPR theory is a model in chemistry used for the representation of shapes of individual molecules, based upon their extent of electron-pair electrostatic repulsion.
VSEPR theory is a model in chemistry used for the representation of shapes of individual molecules, based upon their extent of electron-pair electrostatic repulsion.
Sigma bond
Sigma bonds are a type of covalent chemical bond which is symmetrical with respect to rotation about the bond axis.
Sigma bonds are a type of covalent chemical bond which is symmetrical with respect to rotation about the bond axis.
Pi bond
Pi bonds are covalent chemical bonds where two lobes of one involved electron orbital overlap two lobes of the other involved electron orbital with only one of the orbital's nodal planes passing through both of the involved nuclei.
Pi bonds are covalent chemical bonds where two lobes of one involved electron orbital overlap two lobes of the other involved electron orbital with only one of the orbital's nodal planes passing through both of the involved nuclei.
Coordinate covalent bond
A coordinate covalent bond is a description of covalent bonding between two atoms in which both electrons shared in the bond come from the same atom.
A coordinate covalent bond is a description of covalent bonding between two atoms in which both electrons shared in the bond come from the same atom.
Metallic bond
Metallic bonding is the bonding between atoms within metals involving the delocalized sharing of free electrons among a lattice of metal atoms.
Metallic bonding is the bonding between atoms within metals involving the delocalized sharing of free electrons among a lattice of metal atoms.
Linus Pauling
Linus Carl Pauling (1901 - 1994) was an American quantum chemist and biochemist who pioneered the application of quantum mechanics to describing the nature of chemical bonds. He also made important contributions to crystal and protein structure determination.
Linus Carl Pauling (1901 - 1994) was an American quantum chemist and biochemist who pioneered the application of quantum mechanics to describing the nature of chemical bonds. He also made important contributions to crystal and protein structure determination.
Bent bond
Bent bond is a term in chemistry that refers to a type of covalent chemical bond with a geometry somewhat reminescent of a banana that occurs within small ring molecules, such as cyclopropane.
Bent bond is a term in chemistry that refers to a type of covalent chemical bond with a geometry somewhat reminescent of a banana that occurs within small ring molecules, such as cyclopropane.
Delta bond
Delta bonds are chemical bonds of the covalent type where four lobes of one involved electron orbital overlap four lobes of the other involved electron orbital.
Delta bonds are chemical bonds of the covalent type where four lobes of one involved electron orbital overlap four lobes of the other involved electron orbital.
