PEAZIT Aha card
Go straight to resources ↓Bonding: attracted ions or a shared pair?
Ionic bonding is attraction between oppositely charged ions. Covalent bonding shares electron density between atoms; a single bond is modelled as one shared pair.
| Observation | What it means |
|---|---|
| Na⁺ and Cl⁻ | ionic lattice |
| H—H | one shared pair |
One worked example
- Na → Na⁺ + e⁻Sodium loses an electron.
- Cl + e⁻ → Cl⁻Chlorine gains the electron.
- Na⁺ … Cl⁻Opposite charges attract in the crystal.
Watch out: Real bonds can be polar; ionic and covalent are useful models rather than a sharp boundary.
Goal, prerequisites and card origin
What you will learn: Distinguish two basic bonding models.
What you need first: Atoms, electrons and ions.
An original PEAZIT working card. Independent expert review and effectiveness testing have not yet taken place. · v1
Reference for the underlying principle ↗Show connections
Ionic bonding is attraction between oppositely charged ions. Covalent bonding shares electron density between atoms; a single bond is modelled as one shared pair.