Difference between Ionic, Covalent and Metallic Bonds

Difference between Ionic, Covalent and Metallic bonds

Ionic bonds form when one atom provides electrons to another atom. Its bond energy is higher than metallic bonds, it has a low conductivity and has higher melting and boiling points. Ionic bonds only exist in the solid state and are non-directional. It is hard due to the crystalline structure and it is not malleable nor ductile.

Covalent bonds form when 2 atoms share their valence electrons and bond energy is higher than metallic bonds, it has a very low conductivity and also has lower melting and boiling points, it exists as solids, liquids and gases. Covalent bond is directional and not very hard with the exception of diamond, silicon and carbon, it is not malleable nor ductile.

Metallic bonds formed when a variable number of atoms share a variable number of electrons in a metal lattice. Bond energy is lower than other primary bonds and has very high electrical and thermal conductivity and also has very high melting and boiling points. It only exists in the solid state and this bond is non directional and not very hard, it is malleable as well as ductile.

Ionic Bonds

Ionic bonds are atomic bonds formed by the attraction of two ions with opposite charges to one another. Typically, the connection is formed between a metal and a non-metallic. The structure of the connection is stiff and strong, and it is frequently crystalline and solid in appearance. Ionic bonds are similarly prone to melting when exposed to high temperatures. Ionic bonds are aqueous, which means they may conduct when they are dissolved in water. They are insulators in their solid state. Ionic bonds are sometimes referred to as electrovalent bonds in some circles. In the chemical world. 

Examples of ionic bonding are lithium fluoride (LiF), lithium chloride (LiCl), lithium bromine (LiBr), lithium iodide (LiI), sodium fluoride (Sodium Fluoride), and lithium iodide (LiI).

Metallic Bonding

Metallic bond, the force that holds atoms together in a metallic material.  A solid made up of densely packed atoms is known as a crystalline solid. It is common for each metal atom’s outermost electron shell to overlap with an extremely high number of its surrounding atoms in the majority of circumstances. Therefore, valence electrons are constantly moving from one atom to another and are not connected with any specific pair of atoms, as is the case with protons. In brief, unlike the valence electrons found in covalently bound compounds, the valence electrons found in metals are non-localized and capable of travelling rather freely across the whole crystal. The atoms that are left behind by the electrons produce positive ions, and the interaction between these ions and valence electrons results in the formation of the cohesive or binding force that keeps the metallic crystal together.

Numerous typical features of metals are due to the non-localized or free-electron nature of the valence electrons, which are responsible for many of these traits. This state, for example, is responsible for the high electrical conductivity of metals, as well as other properties. When an electrical field is provided, the valence electrons are always free to travel about the nucleus. Most metals’ malleability and ductility may be attributed to the presence of mobile valence electrons as well as the non-directionality of the binding force between metal ions, both of which are important properties. Metal does not fracture when it is moulded or drawn because the ions in its crystal structure are relatively readily moved with respect to one another in its crystal structure. As an added bonus, because of the non-localized valence electrons, similar-charged ions do not come together and generate significant repulsive forces, which can cause the crystal to shatter.

Examples of metallic bonding

Magnesium, sodium, and aluminium are only a few instances of metal bonding. Magnesium contains two valence electrons, both of which are in the 3s energy level shell, which is the most stable. Because each magnesium atom has two valence electrons, the electron density and metallic bonding strength are both moderate. This is due to the fact that magnesium has two valence electrons per atom. Sodium possesses one lone valence electron, which, like magnesium’s two valence electrons, is at the 3s energy level, similar to the energy level of magnesium. Electrons are easily shared and passed on by adjacent sodium atoms’ 3s energy level since there is only one electron in the outer energy level shell. With just one electron in the outer energy level shell

Aluminium is a good example of metallic bonding. Aluminium possesses three valence electrons, which are located in the 3s and 3p orbitals, respectively. In the case of aluminium, it is conceivable for the atom to lose all three of its electrons, resulting in the atom being transformed into an ion with a positive charge of three. The individual aluminium atoms are strongly attracted to one another when they have such a positive charge, yet they are bound together by a sea or cloud of electrons. This repulsion of positive ions results in the formation of a crystalline lattice, which is prevalent in metallic materials. Aluminium, having three valence electrons, would have a stronger metallic connection than magnesium and sodium, because of its valence electrons.

Conclusion

Ionic bonds are one of the two basic forms of chemical bonding, the other being covalent ones. They are formed as a result of electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions, and they are most commonly found between metals and non-metallic materials. When a large number of ions bind together, they produce a massive, regular, three-dimensional structure known as the ionic lattice or crystal lattice. A metallic compound is a compound that comprises one or more metal elements that are chemically connected to a different element. Typically, the metal atom functions as the cation in the compound and is covalently bound to either a non-metallic anion or an ionic group to form the complex. For this reason, the metal element symbol is put first in the chemical formula since it has a positive charge.