Compare and contrast ionic bonds, covalent bonds, polar covalent bonds, and hydrogen bonds. Explain how valence electrons are involved in the formation of each

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Chemical bonds form between two atoms to form molecules. Chemical bonds form by the action of the valence electrons, those found in the outer shell of each atom. Atoms combine in a way to achieve full valence shells which is the most stable configuration for atoms.
Ionic bonds are electrostatic forces of attraction between a cation and an anion. These bonds form when one or more valence electrons are transferred from one atom to another. The receiving atom becomes the negatively-charged anion while the donating atom becomes the positively-charged cation. Covalent bonds are electrostatic forces of attraction between atoms that share one or more pairs of valence electrons. The two atoms may share the paired electrons equally or symmetrically in which case the covalent bond is referred to as nonpolar. Conversely, the shared valence electron pair may spend more time orbiting one of the atoms in the pair than the other. This causes the first atom to acquire a partial negative charge while the other acquires a partial positive charge. In this case, the covalent bond is said to be polar. Hydrogen bonds are not really bonds but are noncovalent electrostatic interactions between atoms in two different molecules or within the same, large molecules. Hydrogen bonds form because of the partial negative or positive charges that occur on polar molecules. In particular, when hydrogen is bonded to either oxygen or nitrogen, the hydrogen becomes partially-positively charged, while the oxygen or nitrogen is becomes partially-negatively charged. The attraction of the oppositely charged atoms forms the hydrogen bond.