Chemical Bonding Quiz

Grade 9 · Science · Quiz

Test your understanding of ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding with this 10-question quiz.

Questions

1. Which compound is a classic example of ionic bonding?

   1. H₂O
   2. CO₂
   3. NaCl
   4. O₂
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   Answer: NaCl

   Sodium chloride (table salt) is the textbook ionic compound — Na donates 1 electron to Cl, forming Na⁺ and Cl⁻ held by electrostatic attraction.

2. In a covalent bond, electrons are transferred from one atom to another.

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   Answer: False

   Covalent bonds involve electron sharing, not transfer. Electron transfer is the hallmark of ionic bonding.

3. A double covalent bond shares how many pairs of electrons?

   1. 1
   2. 2
   3. 3
   4. 4
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   Answer: 2

   A double bond shares 2 pairs (4 electrons total). Carbon dioxide (CO₂) has two double bonds between carbon and each oxygen.

4. An atom that gains electrons becomes a negatively charged ___.

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   Answer: anion

   Gaining electrons adds negative charge — the atom becomes an anion. Losing electrons creates a cation (+).

5. Which type of bonding explains why metals can be bent without breaking (malleability)?

   1. Ionic
   2. Covalent
   3. Metallic
   4. Polar
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   Answer: Metallic

   The electron sea in metallic bonding lets layers of metal ions slide past each other without breaking bonds, enabling malleability and ductility.

6. Electronegativity measures how strongly an atom attracts electrons in a bond.

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   Answer: True

   Electronegativity, measured on the Pauling scale, predicts whether a bond will be nonpolar covalent, polar covalent, or ionic based on the difference between two atoms.

7. Water (H₂O) is held together by what type of bond?

   1. Ionic
   2. Metallic
   3. Covalent
   4. Nuclear
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   Answer: Covalent

   Hydrogen and oxygen are both nonmetals, so they share electrons through covalent bonds. The bonds in water are polar covalent because oxygen is more electronegative.

8. When sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) bond, what happens to sodium's valence electron?

   1. It is shared equally
   2. It is transferred to chlorine
   3. It is destroyed
   4. It moves to the nucleus
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   Answer: It is transferred to chlorine

   Sodium has 1 valence electron it readily gives away; chlorine needs 1 to complete its octet. The transfer creates Na⁺ and Cl⁻.

9. The octet rule states atoms seek ___ valence electrons for stability.

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   Answer: 8

   Most main-group elements follow the octet rule, striving for 8 valence electrons to match the stable configuration of noble gases.

10. Which best describes a polar covalent bond?

    1. Equal sharing of electrons
    2. Complete transfer of electrons
    3. Unequal sharing of electrons
    4. No electrons involved
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    Answer: Unequal sharing of electrons

    When bonded atoms have different electronegativities, the more electronegative atom pulls harder on the shared electrons, creating partial charges — a polar covalent bond.

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