C3.6 - Structure of simple molecules Flashcards
What are used in everyday life?
Models are used in everyday life
Why are models used in everyday life?
Models are used in everyday life to help us understand things
Models are used in everyday life to help us understanding things.
Example
For example, the map of the London Underground is a simplified model of the maze of tunnels carrying trains beneath the streets
Models are used in everyday life to help us understanding things.
For example, the map of the London Underground is a simplified model of the maze of tunnels carrying trains beneath the streets.
Another example of a model used by chemists
An example of a model used by chemists is the diagrams of the ‘ball and stick’ model of covalently bonded structures
What do molecular model kits use to construct molecules?
Molecular model kits use plastic rods to join spheres together to construct molecules
Molecular model kits use plastic rods to join spheres together to construct molecules.
What do these models have?
These models have:
- Rigid bonds
- Solid atoms
In giant structures, what can the models never accurately reflect?
In giant structures, the models can never accurately reflect the many millions of: 1. Atoms Or, 2. Ions bonded together in the giant lattices
In giant structures, the models can never accurately reflect the many millions of atoms, or ions bonded together in the giant lattices.
However, what can they represent?
In giant structures, the models can represent a tiny fraction of the structure
In giant structures, the models can never accurately reflect the many millions of atoms, or ions bonded together in the giant lattices.
However, in giant structures, the models can represent a tiny fraction of the structure
What can they indicate?
They can indicate the chemical formula of a compound by the simplest ratio of the: 1. Atoms Or, 2. Ions in models of their giant structures
In giant structures, the models can never accurately reflect the many millions of atoms, or ions bonded together in the giant lattices.
However, in giant structures, the models can represent a tiny fraction of the structure.
They can indicate the chemical formula of a compound by the simplest ratio of the atoms or ions in models of their giant structures.
Example
For example, in a ball and stick model of sodium chloride, there will be an equal number of Na+ and Cl- ions (ratio 1:1), so its formula is NaCl
Covalent bonds are very what?
Covalent bonds are very strong
Covalent bonds are very strong.
So how are the atoms within each molecule held?
The atoms within each molecule are held very tightly together
Covalent bonds are very strong.
So the atoms within each molecule are held very tightly together.
However, what does each molecule tend to be?
Each molecule tends to be quite separate from its neighbouring molecules
What is the force of attraction between the individual molecules in a covalent substance?
The force of attraction between the individual molecules in a covalent substance is relatively small
Why is the force of attraction between the individual molecules in a covalent substance relatively small?
The force of attraction between the individual molecules in a covalent substance is relatively small, because there are weak intermolecular forces between molecules
Intermolecular forces
Intermolecular forces are the attraction between the individual molecules in a covalently bonded substance
The force of attraction between the individual molecules in a covalent substance is relatively small, because there are weak intermolecular forces between molecules.
What does overcoming these forces take?
Overcoming these forces does not take much energy
What is overcome, when substances made of simple molecules melt or boil?
When substances made of simple molecules:
1. Melt
Or,
2. Boil
,it is the weak intermolecular forces that are overcome
When substances made of simple molecules melt, or boil, it is the weak intermolecular forces that are overcome.
What aren’t broken?
The covalent bonds aren’t broken
What happens to intermolecular forces as the size of the molecules increases?
As the size of the molecules increases, the intermolecular forces increase
As the size of the molecules increases, the intermolecular forces increase, so what do larger molecules have?
As the size of the molecules increases, the intermolecular forces increase, so larger molecules have higher:
- Melting points
- Boiling points
As the size of the molecules increases, the intermolecular forces increase, so larger molecules have higher melting points and boiling points.
Example
For example, polymers are made from very long chain molecules, so the intermolecular forces are relatively high compared with smaller molecules
Intermolecular forces increase with the size of the molecules, so larger molecules have higher melting points and boiling points.
For example, polymers are made from very long chain molecules, so the intermolecular forces are relatively high compared with smaller molecules.
What do these stronger intermolecular forces make polymers?
These stronger intermolecular forces make polymers solids at room temperature
Polymers
Polymers are made up of many small reactive molecules that bond to each other to form very long chain molecules