Chemical Bonds and Atomic Behavior

Study Notes

There are four essential types of chemical bonds for life: Ionic Bonds, Covalent Bonds, Hydrogen Bonds, and van der Waals interactions

As atoms interact with their neighboring atoms, they exhibit unique properties that are distinct from their individual characteristics. This phenomenon is known as emergent behavior, wherein the whole becomes more than the sum of its parts. For instance, the configuration of electrons and nuclei in adjacent atoms affects their reactivity, leading to the formation of chemical bonds.
Atoms can share electrons or transfer them to form chemical bonds
Electronegativity determines the type of bond an atom will be involved in

Formed when atoms share electrons to fill their valence shells
Nonpolar covalent bonds occur when atoms have similar electronegativities, resulting in equal sharing of electrons
Polar covalent bonds occur when atoms have different electronegativities, resulting in unequal sharing of electrons

Formed when atoms transfer electrons to form ions with opposite charges, resulting in the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged cation and the negatively charged anion.
Ion with a positive charge is called a cation, and the ion with a negative charge is called an anion
In vitro conditions, where ions are suspended in water, the strong electrostatic forces between ions are often disrupted, leading to dissociation. This sensitivity to water content, also known as solvation, can significantly weaken ionic bonds in molecular interactions.

such as a portion of a water molecule's oxygen or a nitrogen-containing molecule, typically via weak intermolecular forces. This type of bonding has been extensively studied in biological systems due to its significance in determining the three-dimensional structure of proteins and other biological molecules.
Hydrogen bonds are weak attractions that hold molecules together, but are stronger than van der Waals interactions
Hydrogen bonds are important for the cohesiveness of water and are essential for life

Weak attractions between molecules due to temporary uneven distributions of electrons
Result in partial positive and partial negative regions on the surface of molecules
Van der Waals interactions are the weakest type of intermolecular bond, characterized by the dispersion force, dipole-dipole force, and induced dipole forces. These weak attractions occur between molecules in close proximity, allowing for the sharing and borrowing of electrons between neighboring molecules.

Four essential types of chemical bonds are necessary for life: Ionic Bonds, Covalent Bonds, Hydrogen Bonds, and van der Waals interactions

Formed by sharing electrons to fill valence shells
Nonpolar covalent bonds result from equal electron sharing between atoms with similar electronegativities
Polar covalent bonds result from unequal electron sharing between atoms with different electronegativities

Formed by transferring electrons to create ions with opposite charges
Cations are ions with positive charges, while anions are ions with negative charges
Ionic bonds are stronger than covalent bonds, but weaker in biochemistry due to dissociation in water

Formed between a hydrogen atom bonded to a highly electronegative atom and another electronegative atom
Hydrogen bonds are weak attractions that hold molecules together
Hydrogen bonds are essential for life, particularly in the cohesiveness of water

Weak attractions between molecules due to temporary electron distributions
Partial positive and partial negative regions form on the surface of molecules
Van der Waals interactions are the weakest type of bond, responsible for attraction between nearby molecules