Year 10 - Science
Why chemical reactions happen
Structure and bonding
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores changes of state, particle kinetics, and energy transfers in relation to chemical bonding, including ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds. It examines carbon's unique bonding properties, leading to organic compounds and materials like diamond, graphite, fullerenes, and graphene.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain chemical bonding in terms of the transfer or sharing of electrons.
Key Notes
- There are five different types of substance: monatomic, simple covalent (molecules), giant covalent, ionic and metallic
- The outer shell in most atoms can hold 8 electrons but, in hydrogen and helium, it can only hold 2 electrons.
- Most atoms increase their stability by forming bonds with other atoms so that they have a full outer shell of electrons.
- Some atoms will share electrons with other atoms to increase their stability.
- Some atoms will lose or gain electrons to increase stability forming cations or anions, respectively.
Vocabulary To Learn
- molecule: A molecule is a particle consisting of a fixed number of (two or more) non-metal atoms covalently bonded together.
- noble gas configuration: When an atom has a full outer shell of electrons, it has a noble gas electron configuration.
- outer shell: The outer shell is the highest energy level in an atom and is usually the furthest from the nucleus.
- cation: a particle with a positive charge.
- anion: a particle with a negative charge.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Atoms react because they 'want' to gain a fuller outer shell of electrons – atoms don't have feelings. Monatomic means one atom and may be confused with the term element, which means one type of atom.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
There are five different types of substance: monatomic, simple covalent (molecules), giant covalent, ionic and metallic. The outer shell in most atoms can hold 8 electrons but, in hydrogen and helium, it can only hold 2 electrons.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'molecule'
A molecule is a particle consisting of a fixed number of (two or more) non-metal atoms covalently bonded together. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Atoms react because they 'want' to gain a fuller outer shell of electrons – atoms don't have feelings. Monatomic means one atom and may be confused with the term element, which means one type of atom. Correction: Take care with language and avoid personifying the atoms. Make sure that definitions and terms are used correctly.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Alloys and their properties Study Guide
- Bonding models Study Guide
- Determining ionic formulae Study Guide
- Forming covalent bonds Study Guide
- Forming ions for ionic bonding Study Guide
- Forming ions for ionic bonding (RAM 1 d.p.) Study Guide
- Giant ionic structures Study Guide
- Ionic diagrams for binary ionic substances Study Guide
- Metal alloys Study Guide
- Metallic structure and properties Study Guide
- Properties of covalent substances Study Guide
- Properties of giant ionic structures Study Guide
- Why chemical reactions occur Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 10 Science guide library.