Structure and Bonding — A/L Chemistry

Chemical bonding arises from the electrostatic interactions between valence electrons and atomic nuclei, driving atoms toward stable electronic configurations through ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds.

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1. VSEPR Theory & Molecular Geometry: Deducing electron pair geometry and actual molecular shape by accounting for lone pair-lone pair > lone pair-bond pair > bond pair-bond pair repulsion hierarchies.
2. Electronegativity & Dipole Moments: Identifying bond polarity versus overall molecular polarity based on symmetry cancelation of dipole vectors (e.g., non-polar CCl₄ vs polar CHCl₃).
3. Intermolecular Forces: Distinguishing London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole attractions, and hydrogen bonding (requiring H bonded directly to N, O, or F) to justify boiling point trends.