Home > Subjects > Chemistry > Level 2 > 2.4 Structure and bonding > Key tips
- Subject: Chemistry
- AS: AS90308
- Level: 2
- Credits: 4
- External
Chemistry 2.4 Describe the nature of structure and bonding in different substances
Key tips
- Follow the symbols, nomenclature, spelling, and formatting of the current IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) convention as outlined in the reference sheet in the assessment specifications.
- If you can, demonstrate knowledge that you have gained from relevant practical work.
- There is a lot of specific chemistry vocabulary for this achievement standard. It is important to understand each term and how it relates to the topic. It may help to construct a mind map or table showing the structure of each type of solid and then relate the structure to the properties of the solid.
- It is important to remember that intermolecular forces ONLY apply to forces BETWEEN COVALENT molecules. Intramolecular bonds are ONLY found WITHIN COVALENT molecules.
- When discussing ionic substances, the particles are IONS (not electrons).
- When discussing metals, the particles are ATOMS with delocalised electrons.
- When discussing giant covalent networks, the particles are ATOMS (thousands of them with strong covalent bonds).
- When discussing covalent molecules, the particles are MOLECULES and there are weak intermolecular forces holding the molecules together.
- ‘Like dissolves like’ applies to solubility of covalent molecules. Ionic substances can be dissolved in polar solvents BUT ionic substances are NOT polar so do not use this term to describe their solubility.
