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CIE IGCSE Chemistry Your notes

Simple Molecules & Covalent Bonds

Contents
Covalent Bonds
Molecules & Compounds
Properties of Simple Molecular Compounds

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Covalent Bonds
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The formation of covalent bonds
Covalent compounds
Covalent compounds are formed when pairs of electrons are shared between atoms
Only non-metal elements participate in covalent bonding
As in ionic bonding, each atom gains a full outer shell of electrons, giving them a noble gas electronic
configuration
Covalently bonded substances may consist of small molecules or giant molecules
When two or more atoms are covalently bonded together, we describe them as ‘molecules’
Dot-and-cross diagrams can be used to show the electronic configurations in simple molecules
Electrons from one atom are represented by a dot, and the electrons of the other atom are
represented by a cross
The electron shells of each atom in the molecule overlap and the shared electrons are shown in the
area of overlap
The dot-and-cross diagram of the molecule shows clearly which atom each electron originated
from

Diagram to show the formation of a covalent bond

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Your notes

Diagram showing how a covalent bond forms between two chlorine atoms

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Exam Tip
Your notes
When drawing dot-and-cross diagrams for covalent compounds, make sure that the electron shell for
each atom is full (remember that the 1st shell can only hold 2 electrons).

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Single covalent bonds

Many simple molecules exist in which two adjacent atoms share one pair of electrons, also known as a Your notes
single covalent bond (or single bond)
Common Examples of Simple Molecules
Hydrogen:

Chlorine:

Water:

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Your notes

Methane:

Ammonia:

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Your notes

Hydrogen chloride:

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Molecules & Compounds

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Covalent bonds in complex covalent molecules
Extended tier only
Some atoms need to share more than one pair of electrons to gain a full outer shell of electrons
If two adjacent atoms share two pairs of electrons, two covalent bonds are formed, also known as a
double bond
If two adjacent atoms share three pairs of electrons, three covalent bonds are formed, also known as a
triple bond
Nitrogen:
When 2 nitrogen atoms react they share 3 pairs of electrons to form a triple bond

Ethene:
In ethene, the 2 carbon atoms share 2 pairs of electrons
This is known as a double bond

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Your notes

Methanol:

Carbon Dioxide:

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Exam Tip
Be careful when drawing dot-and-cross diagrams, it is a common mistake for students to draw the
wrong type of diagram.
Remember, if the compound contains metal and non-metal, it is an ionic compound and you need to
draw the ions separated, with square brackets around each ion, together with a charge.
If the compound contains non-metal atoms only, it is a covalent compound, the shells should overlap
and contain one or more pairs of electrons.

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Properties of Simple Molecular Compounds

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Properties of simple molecular compounds
Small molecules are compounds made up of molecules that contain just a few atoms covalently
bonded together
They have low melting and boiling points so covalent compounds are usually liquids or gases at room
temperature
As the molecules increase in size, the melting and boiling points generally increase
Small molecules have poor electrical conductivity

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Explaining the properties of simple molecular compounds

Extended tier only Your notes
Linking bonding and properties
Small molecules have covalent bonds joining the atoms together, but intermolecular forces that act
between neighbouring molecules
They have low melting and boiling points as there are only weak intermolecular forces acting between
the molecules
These forces are very weak when compared to the covalent bonds and so most small molecules are
either gases or liquids at room temperature
As the molecules increase in size the intermolecular forces also increase as there are more electrons
available
This causes the melting and boiling points to increase

The bonds between hydrogen and oxygen in water are COVALENT, and the attractions between the
molecules are INTERMOLECULAR FORCES which are about one tenth as strong as covalent bonds
Electrical Conductivity
Molecular compounds are poor conductors of electricity as there are no free ions or electrons to carry
the charge.
Most covalent compounds do not conduct at all in the solid state and are thus insulators
Common insulators include the plastic coating around household electrical wiring, rubber and wood

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Your notes

The plastic coating around electrical wires is made from covalent molecules that do not allow a flow of
charge

Exam Tip
The atoms within covalent molecules are held together by covalent bonds while the molecules in a
covalent substance are attracted to each other by intermolecular forces.

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