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2.1.1Chemical bonds

AQA GCSE Chemistry (8462), Higher tier · Bonding, structure and the properties of matter › Chemical bonds: ionic, covalent and metallic

Practise Chemical bonds. 11 exam-style questions on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.

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Here is a list of substances.
  • magnesium oxide, MgO
  • carbon dioxide, CO2
  • brass
  • chlorine, Cl2
  • potassium fluoride, KF
  • iron, Fe
 Explain why carbon dioxide has covalent bonding.
Carbon and oxygen are both non-metals, so their atoms share pairs of electrons.
There are three types of strong chemical bond: ionic, covalent and metallic. Which type of bonding involves delocalised electrons?
metallic

Sample questions

Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.

Question 1Easy5 marks
There are three types of strong chemical bond: ionic, covalent and metallic.
(a) Give the type of bonding in each substance.
sodium chloride
water
copper[3]
(b) Complete the sentence.
Tick (✓) one box.
Ionic bonding occurs in compounds formed from ................[1]
  • metals combined with non-metals
  • non-metals only
  • metals only
  • noble gases
(c) Which describes the particles in covalent bonding?
Tick (✓) one box.[1]
  • Atoms that share pairs of electrons
  • Oppositely charged ions
  • Positive ions and delocalised electrons
  • Molecules that share protons
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a) Answer: sodium chloride: ionic; water: covalent; copper: metallic
  • sodium chloride: ionic
  • water: covalent
  • copper: metallic
(b) Answer: metals combined with non-metals
(c) Answer: Atoms that share pairs of electrons
Question 2Medium7 marks
Here is a list of substances.
  • magnesium oxide, MgO
  • carbon dioxide, CO2
  • brass
  • chlorine, Cl2
  • potassium fluoride, KF
  • iron, Fe
(a) Which two substances have ionic bonding?
Tick (✓) two boxes.[2]
  • Magnesium oxide
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Brass
  • Chlorine
  • Potassium fluoride
  • Iron
(b) Explain why carbon dioxide has covalent bonding.[2]
(c) Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
Name the type of bonding in brass.[1]
(d) Describe the forces that hold the particles together in ionic bonding.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a) Answer: Magnesium oxide; Potassium fluoride
(b) Answer: Carbon and oxygen are both non-metals, so their atoms share pairs of electrons.
  • carbon and oxygen are (both) non-metals
  • (so their atoms) share pairs of electrons
(c) Answer: metallic
  • metallic
(d) Answer: Strong electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions.
  • (strong) electrostatic forces of attraction
  • between oppositely charged ions
Question 3Hard6 marks
Sodium, chlorine and sodium chloride each have a different type of strong bonding.
Compare the bonding in sodium chloride, chlorine and sodium.
Your answer should refer to the particles involved and the forces that hold them together.[6]
Show the answer and mark scheme
Answer: NaCl: ionic — electron transfer gives Na+ and Cl− ions held by strong electrostatic attraction in all directions. Cl2: covalent — atoms share a pair of electrons attracted to both nuclei; small molecules. Na: metallic — positive ions in a regular lattice attracted to delocalised electrons.
  • sodium chloride has ionic bonding (a metal combined with a non-metal)
  • each sodium atom transfers one electron to a chlorine atom, forming Na+ and Cl− ions
  • strong electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions, acting in all directions (giant lattice)
  • chlorine has covalent bonding between non-metal atoms
  • the two chlorine atoms share a pair of electrons; the shared pair is attracted to both nuclei
  • chlorine consists of small molecules, Cl2
  • sodium has metallic bonding
  • sodium atoms / positive ions are arranged in a regular pattern and their outer electrons are delocalised
  • strong electrostatic attraction between the positive ions and the delocalised electrons

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