Chemical Bonding Worksheet

1: (a).Magnesium reacts with fluorine to make the ionic compound magnesium fluoride.
(i) Predict two physical properties of magnesium fluoride.
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(ii) Explain, in terms of electrons, how a magnesium atom reacts with a fluorine molecule,
F2, to make a magnesium ion and two fluoride ions.
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2: Boron nitride, BN, exists in two physical forms. The structures of these forms are shown
below.

These two forms of boron nitride resemble two allotropes of carbon.

(a) Suggest why boron nitride with structure A can be used as a lubricant.
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(b) Suggest why boron nitride with structure B does not conduct electricity.
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(c) Suggest why boron nitride with structure B can be used in cutting tools and drill bits.
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3: (a)(i).Give both the electronic configuration and the charge on the ions which are
present
in magnesium fluoride.

(ii) Trifluorochloromethane, CF3Cl, is a covalent compound.

Draw a ‘dot-and-cross’ diagram for a CF3Cl molecule.
You only need to show the outer electrons for each atom.

(b).Blue diamonds are an impure form of carbon. Part of the structure of a blue diamond
is
shown below.
Blue diamonds have a high melting point and can conduct electricity.
(i).Explain, in terms of structure and bonding, why blue diamonds have a high melting
point.
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Normal diamonds are a pure form of carbon. They do not conduct electricity.
(ii) Explain, in terms of structure and bonding, why normal diamonds do not conduct
electricity.
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(iii) Suggest why blue diamonds can conduct electricity.
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(c) Graphite is another pure form of carbon. Suggest two reasons why graphite is often
used as an electrode in electrolysis.
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4: Glass is made from sand.
Pure sand has a giant molecular structure.

(a).(i) What is the formula for pure sand?

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(ii) Explain why sand has a very high melting point.
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(iii) Explain why sand does not conduct electricity.
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(b). In recent years scientists have made tube-shaped structures of carbon called nanotubes.
(a) State two differences between the structure of a carbon nanotube and the structure of
diamond.
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(b) Carbon nanotubes are fifty times stronger than steel.
Use ideas about structure and bonding to suggest why these nanotubes are so strong.
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(c) Carbon nanotubes are good electrical conductors.
(i) State the name of another form of carbon which can conduct electricity.
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(ii) Carbon nanotubes conduct electricity nearly as well as copper.
Explain why copper is a good conductor of electricity.
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(d) Another form of carbon is buckminsterfullerene.
(a) State two differences between the structure of a carbon nanotube and the structure of
diamond.
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(b) Carbon nanotubes are fifty times stronger than steel.
Use ideas about structure and bonding to suggest why these nanotubes are so strong.
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(c) Carbon nanotubes are good electrical conductors.
(i) State the name of another form of carbon which can conduct electricity.
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(ii) Carbon nanotubes conduct electricity nearly as well as copper.
Explain why copper is a good conductor of electricity.
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(d) Another form of carbon is buckminsterfullerene.

Argon can be trapped inside the cage-like structure of buckminsterfullerene.

(i) Explain why argon is unreactive.
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(ii) One isotope of argon is
Calculate the number of neutrons in this isotope of argon.
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5: Glass contains silicon(IV) oxide and a number of metal oxides.
(a) The structure of silicon(IV) oxide is shown below.

(i) Describe two similarities in the structure of silicon(IV) oxide and diamond.
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(ii) Explain why silicon(IV) oxide has a high melting point.
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(iii) Explain why silicon(IV) oxide does not conduct electricity.
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