Chemical bonds (AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy): Revision Note

Combining atoms

• Atoms combine with other atoms through the movement of electrons, which could be considered as the “language of chemistry”

• They do this in order to achieve a greater level of stability, which is reached when the atom obtains a full outer shell of electrons

• There are three types of bonding studied at GCSE 

  • Ionic bonding

  • Covalent bonding

  • Metallic bonding

• Ionic bonds:

  • Takes place when metals and non-metals react by transferring electrons

  • Metal atoms lose electrons to form positive ions

  • Non-metal atoms gain electrons to form negative ions

  • The opposite charges attract through electrostatic forces

• Covalent bonds:

  • Non-metal atoms share pairs of electrons between each other

• Metallic bonds:

  • This type of bonding occurs in metals and metal alloys (mixtures of metals)