How do you differentiate the different types of bonds that exist between molecules?

October 29th, 2008 | by bonds |

Gina G asked:

Hi all,
My chemistry teacher is very vague in explaining things and I don’t quite understand his method behind saying that covalent bonds are week, I thought they were very strong..
I always thought in terms of strenght it was:
covalent>metallic>ionic>hydrogen bonding>dipole-dipole>dispersion forces or am I way off?

I also have difficulty trying to identify network solids and metallic bonds at times, are there any tricks to remembering them?

I wish my chemistry teacher would be better at explaining this stuff….

Thanks so much for any input!

MERVIN

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One Response to “How do you differentiate the different types of bonds that exist between molecules?”
By steve_geo1 on Nov 1, 2008 | Reply

VALENTIN

You are right. Covalent bonds are very strong. However, bonds among covalently bonded molecules are weak. The H-O bond of water is strong, but bonds among H2O molecules in ice are weak.

Covalently bonded polyvalent atoms can form network solids. Metals form metallic bonds. Thus diamond is a network solid of carbon.

Bonds