Chemical Bonding Quiz

Grade 10 · Science · Quiz

Test your understanding of ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds and how they determine the properties of substances.

Questions

Which molecule contains a nonpolar covalent bond?
1. HCl
2. H₂O
3. N₂
4. NaCl
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Answer: N₂
N₂ consists of two identical nitrogen atoms sharing electrons equally — a perfect nonpolar covalent bond.
Ionic compounds typically have high melting points due to strong electrostatic forces in the crystal lattice.
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Answer: True
The strong electrostatic forces between oppositely charged ions in a crystal lattice require large amounts of energy to overcome, giving ionic compounds high melting points.
What is the electronegativity difference threshold above which a bond is considered ionic?
1. 0.4
2. 1.0
3. 1.7
4. 2.5
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Answer: 1.7
An electronegativity difference above 1.7 is the conventional threshold for classifying a bond as ionic rather than polar covalent.
A positively charged ion is called a ___.
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Answer: cation
When an atom loses electrons, it becomes positively charged — called a cation. An atom that gains electrons becomes a negatively charged anion.
Which of the following best describes a metallic bond?
1. Electron transfer between metal and nonmetal
2. Sharing of electrons between two nonmetals
3. Delocalized electrons shared among metal cations
4. Attraction between oppositely charged ions
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Answer: Delocalized electrons shared among metal cations
The 'electron sea' model describes metallic bonding: valence electrons are free to move through a lattice of positive metal ions, explaining conductivity and malleability.
Water (H₂O) has nonpolar covalent bonds.
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Answer: False
Oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, so electrons in the O-H bonds are pulled toward oxygen — making the bonds polar covalent, not nonpolar.
How many valence electrons does oxygen share in a water molecule to satisfy the octet rule?
1. 2
2. 4
3. 6
4. 8
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Answer: 2
Oxygen has 6 valence electrons and needs 2 more to complete its octet. It forms 2 covalent bonds (one with each hydrogen), sharing 2 pairs of electrons total.
In a Lewis dot structure, each dot represents one ___ electron.
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Answer: valence
Lewis dot structures use dots to represent valence electrons — the outermost electrons that participate in chemical bonding.
Metals are malleable because their delocalized electrons allow metal ions to slide past each other.
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Answer: True
In metallic bonds, the 'electron sea' allows ions to shift positions without breaking bonds, which is why metals can be hammered into shapes without shattering.
Which compound is most likely to be a good conductor of electricity when dissolved in water?
1. Sugar (C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁)
2. Oxygen gas (O₂)
3. Table salt (NaCl)
4. Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
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Answer: Table salt (NaCl)
NaCl is an ionic compound. When dissolved in water, it dissociates into Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions that can carry electric charge, making the solution conductive.

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