Question

State whether the following statements are true or false. Electronegativity is the property of an atom in a bonded molecule.

Short answer

"Electronegativity is the property of an atom in a bonded molecule." Answer: True.

Step-by-step solution

Define electronegativity

Electronegativity is a measure of the ability of an atom in a chemical bond to attract electrons towards itself. It is important because it plays a significant role in determining the type and properties of chemical bonds formed between atoms.

Understand electronegativity in atoms

Electronegativity applies to atoms in molecules, as it measures how strongly the atoms in a bond attract electrons towards themselves. Different elements have different electronegativity values, which can help predict the type of bonds formed (for example, ionic, covalent, or polar covalent bonds).

Evaluate the statement

The statement is: "Electronegativity is the property of an atom in a bonded molecule." Based on our understanding of electronegativity from steps 1 and 2, we can conclude that this statement is true, as electronegativity is indeed a property of atoms in bonded molecules that describes their ability to attract electrons towards themselves.

Key concepts

Chemical bonds

Chemical bonds are the connections between atoms that allow for the creation of complex molecules. They form due to the interactions between the electrons of different atoms, binding them together in stable configurations.
The main driving force behind chemical bond formation is the tendency of atoms to achieve a full outer shell of electrons, often resembling the electron configuration of the noble gases.
Two key types of chemical bonds are ionic bonds and covalent bonds, and these are influenced by the property of electronegativity, which dictates how atoms share or transfer electrons.
Understanding the type of bond involves analyzing the difference in electronegativity between bonding atoms, which can lead to different bonding behaviors and properties.

Ionic bonds

Ionic bonds are a type of chemical bond that occurs between atoms with significantly different electronegativities. In an ionic bond, electrons are transferred from one atom to another, leading to the formation of ions.
These ions are atoms that have gained or lost electrons, resulting in a net positive or negative charge.
Commonly, ionic bonds occur between metals, which tend to lose electrons, and non-metals, which tend to gain electrons.

• The metal atom becomes a positively charged ion (cation) by donating electrons.
• The non-metal atom becomes a negatively charged ion (anion) by gaining electrons.

The electrical attraction between the cation and anion forms the ionic bond. Ionic compounds typically form crystalline structures and exhibit high melting and boiling points due to the strong attraction between the charged ions.

Covalent bonds

Covalent bonds occur when two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons, allowing them to achieve a full outer electron shell. These bonds usually form between atoms with similar electronegativities, most often non-metals.
Covalent bonds are essential in forming molecules, as opposed to the crystalline structures of ionic compounds.
When atoms share electrons equally, a non-polar covalent bond is formed. Common examples include diatomic molecules like hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂), where the electrons are evenly distributed between the two atoms.

• Equal sharing leads to non-polar covalent bonds.
• This sharing creates strong and stable molecules.

Covalent bonds can be single, double, or triple, depending on the number of shared electron pairs between the bonded atoms.

Polar covalent bonds

Polar covalent bonds occur when electrons are shared unevenly between atoms in a molecule. This happens when there is a moderate difference in electronegativity between the atoms, leading to a partial charge distribution.
In these bonds, one end of the molecule becomes slightly negative, while the other becomes slightly positive, creating a dipole moment.

• Uneven electron sharing leads to polarity.
• Partial charges result from the differences in electronegativity.

Water (H₂O) is one of the most well-known examples of a molecule with polar covalent bonds. The oxygen atom, being more electronegative, pulls the shared electrons closer to itself, resulting in a slight negative charge around the oxygen, and a slight positive charge around the hydrogen atoms. This polarity is critical in making water such a versatile solvent and plays a significant role in various chemical and biological processes.