Element story

Why atoms bond

Chemical bonding describes how atoms are held together through interactions involving electrons and nuclei. Ionic, covalent and metallic models highlight different limiting behaviours rather than three completely isolated worlds.

Start with the nucleus

Chemical bonding describes how atoms are held together through interactions involving electrons and nuclei. Ionic, covalent and metallic models highlight different limiting behaviours rather than three completely isolated worlds.

Chemical bonding describes how atoms are held together through interactions involving electrons and nuclei. Ionic, covalent and metallic models highlight different limiting behaviours rather than three completely isolated worlds.

The useful question is not only “what bond is this?” but “what does this model help predict?”

Electronegativity is a model for an atom’s tendency to attract electron density when it is bonded.

Electronegativity is a model for an atom’s tendency to attract electron density when it is bonded.

Keep exploring

Chemical Bonding · Electronegativity

Sources

EN · institutional/academic · IUPAC · NIST · BIPM