Calling every bond 'ionic' because the word is more familiar. Check the elements: two non-metals cannot form an ionic bond.
Before you read
Test yourself first: 2 questions
Question 1 of 2
A covalent bond forms when atoms:
Answer: A. Chemical bonding only ever involves electrons. Sharing gives covalent bonds; transferring gives ionic ones.
Question 2 of 2
The outer electrons of an atom that participate in bonding are called:
Answer: B. Valence (outer-shell) electrons determine how an atom bonds with others.
Keep the streak going with more questions like these, each with a full rationale.
Key points
- An IONIC bond transfers an electron: one atom becomes positive, the other negative, and the opposite charges attract. Typically a metal plus a non-metal (NaCl).
- A COVALENT bond shares electrons between atoms. Typically two non-metals (H₂O, CO₂).
- Ionic compounds generally dissolve in water and conduct electricity in solution; covalent ones generally do not.
- An atom is most stable with a full outer (valence) shell — that is WHY bonds form at all.
- A hydrogen bond is a weak attraction BETWEEN molecules, not a true bond within one — it is what gives water its properties.
Study first
- Sodium has one outer electron and chlorine needs one. Sodium gives it away: Na⁺ and Cl⁻ attract as an ionic bond.
- Two hydrogen atoms each need one more electron and neither will give one up, so they share a pair — a covalent bond.
Commonly tested
- One question decides it: is a metal involved? Metal + non-metal → ionic. Non-metal + non-metal → covalent.
- Draw both pictures once — an arrow for transfer, a shared dot pair for sharing. The pictures are the whole topic.
Watch out for
- Calling every bond 'ionic' because the word is more familiar. Check the elements: two non-metals cannot form an ionic bond.
- Treating hydrogen bonds as ordinary chemical bonds; they are much weaker and act between molecules.
- Forgetting that the driving force is a full valence shell, which makes the whole topic feel like memorization.
Bonding Cheat Sheet: FAQs
What should I focus on first when studying Bonding Cheat Sheet?
Sodium has one outer electron and chlorine needs one. Sodium gives it away: Na⁺ and Cl⁻ attract as an ionic bond. Two hydrogen atoms each need one more electron and neither will give one up, so they share a pair — a covalent bond.
What is most often missed on Bonding Cheat Sheet?
Calling every bond 'ionic' because the word is more familiar. Check the elements: two non-metals cannot form an ionic bond. Treating hydrogen bonds as ordinary chemical bonds; they are much weaker and act between molecules. Forgetting that the driving force is a full valence shell, which makes the whole topic feel like memorization.
What do I need to know about Bonding Cheat Sheet for the HESI A2?
An IONIC bond transfers an electron: one atom becomes positive, the other negative, and the opposite charges attract. Typically a metal plus a non-metal (NaCl). A COVALENT bond shares electrons between atoms. Typically two non-metals (H₂O, CO₂). Ionic compounds generally dissolve in water and conduct electricity in solution; covalent ones generally do not. An atom is most stable with a full outer (valence) shell — that is WHY bonds form at all.
What are the most commonly tested points on Bonding Cheat Sheet?
One question decides it: is a metal involved? Metal + non-metal → ionic. Non-metal + non-metal → covalent. Draw both pictures once — an arrow for transfer, a shared dot pair for sharing. The pictures are the whole topic.
