What is covalent character, how does it arise. List a compound it does affect and explain the resulting properties covalent character affects.

Covalent character occurs in ionic bonds when the postive (usually metal) ion is highly charge dense and can polarise the counter ion causing electrons to be shared between the two ions rather than electrons being completely localised on the anion.
Example includes any sensible Lithium/magnesium/aluminium compound (or many others)
Covalent bonds are known to be stronger than ionic bonds so results in higher atomisation energies whilst also reducing melting point due to weaker inter-molecular forces experienced by covalent compounds.

JV

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

In what conditions does sodium chloride conduct electricity and why?


The Aldehyde CH3CH2CHO (A) reacts with HCN to give a racemic mixture, name the compound CH3CH2CH(CN)OH (B) formed and explain why we get a racemic mixture and how we could differentiate between two different enantiomerically pure solutions of B


A chemist synthesised two solutions A and B, they know one solution is an aldehyde and the other a ketone. Suggest how the chemist could identify which is which and describe any observations they would make


Although carbon dioxide is a linear molecule it is still a greenhouse gas. Explain why that is.