Centre for Higher Secondary Education Department of chemistry

TOPIC 3: BONDING AND STRUCTURE

WORKSHEET

Section A – Underline the most suitable answer.

1. Four dot‑and‑cross electron diagrams are shown.

Which diagrams are correct?

A W, X, Y and Z only C W and Z only
B W, Y and Z only D X and Z only

2. Which of the following results in the most polarizing cation?

Cation radius Cation charge
A small small
B small large
C large small
D large large

3. In which of the following would you expect the paired species to have different bond angles?
A H2O NH2 – B NH4 + CH4
C BF3 NH3 D BeCl2 CO2

4. Which of the following molecules contains a double bond?

A F2 B F 2O C C2F4 D C2F6

5. Which ion has the smallest ionic radius?

A Cl− B Ca2+ C K+ D S2−

6. Which of these molecules is the most polar?

A HF B OF2 C BF3 D CF4

7. Metallic bonding is best described as the electrostatic attraction between

A positive ions and delocalized electrons. B protons and electrons.
C positive and negative ions. D nuclei and shared pairs of electrons.

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8. Use the Pauling electronegativity values given in the table to answer the following questions.

(a) Which compound has covalent bonds with the greatest polarity?
A H2O B CF4 C MgF2 D Al2O3

(b) Which compound is most ionic?

A Li2O B MgO C AlF3 D NaF

9. The melting temperature of sodium is lower than the melting temperature of magnesium. The
best explanation for this is
A sodium atoms are smaller than magnesium atoms.
B sodium ions have a larger charge density than magnesium ions.
C the repulsion between the ions in sodium is less than in magnesium.
D the number of delocalised electrons per atom is fewer in sodium than in magnesium.

10. What are the shapes of the BF3 and PH3 molecules?
BF3 PH3
A pyramidal pyramidal
B pyramidal Trigonal planar
C Trigonal planar pyramidal
D Trigonal planar Trigonal planar

11. Which describes the polarity of the C-Cl bond and the polarity of the molecule
trichloromethane, CHCl3?
Polarity of C- Cl bond Polarity of molecule
A non-polar non-polar
B non-polar polar
C polar non-polar
D polar polar

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12. Which of the following statements is evidence for the existence of ions in ionic compounds?
A Ionic compounds, in the solid state, conduct electricity.
B When any ionic compound in solution is electrolysed, the migration of ions can be seen.
C In electron density maps for ionic compounds, there is no single line representing electron
density that surrounds both cations and anions.
D In electron density maps for ionic compounds, there are some single lines representing
electron density that surround both cations and anions.

13. Which of the diagrams below best represents the shapes of the electron contours in
sodium fluoride?

SECTION B
Answer ALL the questions. Write your answers in the spaces provided.
14.(a) (i)Name the type of bonding present in magnesium chloride. (1)
Type ionic /electrovalent
Ignore “ lattice / bonding/ giant”
(ii) Draw a diagram (using dots or crosses) to show the bonding in magnesium chloride. Include
ALL the electrons in each species and the charges present. (3)

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(b) State the type of bonding that exists in solid magnesium. (1)
(Giant) metallic / metal
* (c) Explain fully why the melting temperature of magnesium is higher than that of sodium. (3)

15. This is a question about the structure of substances.

(a) Predict the H-N-H bond angle in NH4+ and the H-O-H bond angle in H3O+. (2)
NH4+..................................................................................................................................................

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H3O+..................................................................................................................................................

(b) Name the shapes of the BF3 and PH3 molecules and explain why they are different. (4)

*(c) Explain, with reference to the structure and bonding of each substance, why the electrical
conductivity of graphite is 1.0 × 105 S m−1 but that of diamond is 1.0 × 10−2 S m−1. (4)

(d) Explain why the Cl-Cl bond length is 0.199 nm, but the I-I bond length is 0.267 nm. (3)

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16. (a)The lattice energies of sodium fluoride, sodium chloride and magnesium fluoride are
shown in the table below.

Explain, in terms of the sizes and charges of the ions involved, the differences between the
lattice energy values of
(i) NaF and NaCl (2)

(ii) NaF and MgF2 (2)

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(b) Sodium and magnesium are both in Period 3. In sodium iodide, the ions are not polarized
but in magnesium iodide some polarization occurs.
*(i) Explain the term polarization as it applies to magnesium iodide, and state how it arises. (3)

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17. The dot and cross diagram for sulfur dioxide can be drawn as shown.
The sulfur atom has expanded its octet by having ten electrons in the outer energy level.
(i) Draw the dot and cross diagram for sulfur dioxide which shows the sulfur atom with only
eight electrons in its outer energy level.
Use dots to represent the oxygen electrons and crosses to represent the sulfur electrons. (1)

(ii) A sulfur atom can expand its octet but an oxygen atom cannot. Suggest why this is so. (1)

(iii) Deduce the shape of the sulfur dioxide molecule and suggest the O–S–O bond angle. (2)
Shape................................................................................................................................................
Bond angle........................................................................................................................................

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18. This question is about the structure and bonding of Group 5 chlorides.
(a) Nitrogen trichloride, NCl3 , has a molecular structure. The displayed formula of a molecule of
NCl3 is shown.

Complete the table for this molecule.

Number of bond pairs around N atom

Number of lone pairs around N atom
Cl – N – Cl bond angle
Name of shape of molecule

(b) Under standard conditions, phosphorus(V) chloride (PCl5) is a solid made up of PCl4+ cations
and PCl6- anions. Antimony(V) chloride (SbCl5) is a liquid made up of SbCl5 molecules.
(i) Explain why PCl5 has a higher melting temperature than SbCl5 .(2)

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(ii) Draw a dot-and-cross diagram to show the bonding in a molecule of SbCl5. Use dots (•) to
represent the Sb electrons, and crosses (x) to represent the Cl electrons. Show outer electrons
only.(2)

(c) At low temperatures, SbCl5 converts to Sb2Cl10 which contains dative covalent bonds.
(i) State what is meant by the term dative covalent bond. (1)

(ii) Complete the diagram to show the dative covalent bonds in Sb 2Cl10 . (1)

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(d) Arsenic also forms a pentachloride with the formula AsCl5 . Give one possible reason why
nitrogen is the only Group 5 element that does not form a pentachloride. (1)

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