How Many Types of Compounds are There

Introduction

Chemical compounds may be described as any substance with two or more different types of atoms (chemical elements) arranged in a definite stoichiometric ratio. When the elements combine, some of their particular features are lost and the newly created compound acquires new characteristics. A chemical substance is formed from various similar molecules made up of atoms from multiple elements joined by chemical bonds. Depending on how the atoms making up the compound are joined, there are four different types of compounds:

• Molecular Compounds

• Ionic Compounds

• Intermetallic Compounds

• Coordinate Compounds

Molecular Compounds

Molecular compounds are made up of atoms that are bonded together by sharing electrons hence we can say they are covalently bonded because covalent bonds are bonds that are formed because of sharing of electrons also the covalent bond is formed between non-metal - non-metal so we can say molecular compounds are formed between nonmetals.

A molecule can be heteronuclear, which is a chemical compound comprised of more than one element, such as water (H2O), or homonuclear, which is a molecule that only contains atoms of a single chemical component, like oxygen (O2)

Ionic Compounds

An ionic compound is a substance that is bound together by ionic bonds. An ionic compound in chemistry is a substance comprised of ions that are bound together by electrostatic forces known as ionic bonding. The chemical is entirely neutral, although it contains both positively and negatively charged ions, which are referred to as cations and anions, respectively.

Ionic compounds are created when two oppositely charged atoms attract one another to form an ionic bond: a cation is created when an atom loses electrons, and an anion is created when an atom acquires electrons.

Ionic compounds can also form when the electronegativity of two atoms differs noticeably from one another, resulting in one atom drawing electrons more strongly than the other and atoms losing and gaining electrons.

Acidic ionic compounds contain hydrogen ions (H+), whereas bases contain basic ionic compounds such as oxide (O2) or hydroxide (OH). Without these ions, ionic compounds are also known as salts, and they can be created through acid-base processes.

Example of an ionic compound is NaCl. AgI. flag, or silver iodide, is another illustration.

Intermetallic Compounds

Intermetallic compounds are made up of two or more elemental metals in fixed ratios as opposed to the changeable ratios found in solid solutions. The resulting intermetallic complex differs from its constituent metals in terms of both characteristics and crystal structure. Electron compounds, size packing phases, and zintl phases are examples of intermetallic compounds. Additionally, metalloids like silicon and arsenic as well as post-transition metals like aluminium, gallium, etc. are included. However, under the definition of intermetallic compounds, a homogenous and heterogenous solid solution of metals and interstitial compounds is not included.As a result of intermetallics, new materials like alnico and hydrogen storage materials for nickel-metal hydride batteries have been developed.

NiAl alloys which is example of intermetallic compound are an appealing choice for metallizations in advanced semiconductor, surface catalysts, and high vacuum circuit breakers due to their numerous desired features, including oxidation, carburization, nitridation resistance, and excellent thermal and electrical conductivity.

Coordination Compounds

After a Lewis acid-base reaction, neutral molecules or anions also referred to as ligands, form coordinate covalent bonds with a central metal atom and that is known as a coordination complex. When they are dissolved in water, they do not separate into simple ions.

Conclusion

There are mainly four types of Compounds and various types of bonding and forces are used to hold compounds together. Compounds have several types of bonding depending on the elements that make up the compound.