How Many Types of Bonds are There in Chemistry

Introduction

There are atoms in molecules which are needed to be held together. The forces holding these atoms together are called chemical bonds. Chemical bonds are formed due to the strong intermolecular force of attraction between the atoms of a molecule. The electrons present in the valence shell of atoms are the ones that participate in a chemical reaction. When two atoms approach each other they start reacting. But why do even after Electrons being of the same charge attract each other? This happens because even though the electrons do repel each other they are attracted by the protons present in the nucleus of an atom. This interplay of these forces is what results in chemical bonding.

The main types of chemical bonds in chemistry are:

1. Ionic

2. Covalent

3. Hydrogen

4. Metallic

The strength of a bond that exists between two atoms depends on the electronegativity difference between those atoms. If the difference is high, atoms will transfer electrons forming ionic bonds which are extremely strong. If the difference is low or zero, the atoms combine to form covalent bonds.

Types of Chemical Bonds with Example

Chemical bonds are broadly classified into four different types. Here is a detailed explanation of each.

Ionic Bonds

The ionic bond is given the name because it is formed by the attraction between ions. Ions are formed through atoms. When an atom loses or gains an electron then it forms an ion. Two types of ions formed can be Cations or Anions.

A cation is an ion formed due to the loss of electrons. Due to this loss, the atoms develop a positive charge itself.

An anion is an ion formed due to the gain of electrons. Due to this gain, the atom develops a negative charge on itself.

These bonds are mostly formed between metals and nonmetals.

Some examples of Ionic bonds are:

1. Common salt or NaCl is formed when sodium gives an electron and chlorine receives it.

2. Magnesium oxide (MgO)

3. Potassium chloride (KCl)

4. Calcium fluoride (CaF2)

Covalent Bonds

When covalent bonds are formed, the transfer of electrons doesn’t take place. The atoms share one or more pairs of electrons with other atoms of the same kind or different kinds. This sharing takes place so that the octet rule is satisfied. The octet rule states that every atom should have 8 electrons in its valence shell. Such bonding is mostly found between two nonmetals. This type of bonding is quite strong. They are classified as polar covalent bonds and nonpolar covalent bonds.

Non-polar covalent bonds are ones where electrons are equally shared between the atoms participating in the bonding. Whereas, in polar covalent bonds atoms are unequally distributed between atoms participating in the chemical bonding.

Examples of Covalent bonds are:

1. Iodine gas is a bond formed between two iodine atoms.

2. Water

3. Carbon dioxide gas

4. Borane (BH3)

Hydrogen Bonds

The bonds formed between hydrogen atoms and another electronegative atom are called hydrogen bonds. However, one shouldn’t be confused that it is ionic or covalent. It is a kind of dipole-dipole attraction between molecules. After the hydrogen atom is covalently bonded with a highly electronegative atom which results in a positive charge. Then this gets attracted to an electronegative atom thus forming a hydrogen bond.

Some examples of Hydrogen bonds are:

1. Two water molecules

2. Ammonia

3. Chloroform

4. Nitrogen bases which are present in DNAs

Metallic Bonds

The force that holds together metallic substances is metallic bonds. These solids are tightly packed together. The electrons in the outermost shell of every metal overlap with the number of atoms present in their neighbours. This results in the free movement of valence electrons from one atom to another. This kind of behaviour is known as non-localization.

Some examples of metallic bonds are:

1. Copper wire

2. Sodium metal

3. Aluminium foils

Other Types of Chemical Bonds

Apart from the mentioned bonds, there are a few other bonds that exist in chemistry. They are:

1. Van der Waals bond: van der Waals forces are weak forces that are responsible for holding neutral molecules together. It is a general term used to describe the attraction of intermolecular forces between molecules. This type is the weakest of all bonds.

2. Peptide bonds: The bonds through which multiple amino acids are linked together are called Peptide bonds. These bonds are formed through biochemical reactions resulting in the extraction of water. Water is extracted because these bonds combine the amino group of one amino acid with the carboxyl group of other amino acids.

Conclusion

Chemical bonds are an important part of chemistry. Everything we see around us is bonded in one form or the other. It is very essential for us to recognize what kinds of bonds exist between things and how strong they are.