In lessons 3 and 4, you have read about the electronic configurations of atoms of various elements and variation in the periodic properties of elements. But every thing present around us is not just the elements. We see substances which can be either elements or compounds You know that the atoms of same or different kinds may combine. When atoms of same elements combine, we get elements. But we get compounds when atoms of different elements combine. Have you ever thought why do atoms combine at all?
In this lesson, we will find an answer to this question. We will first explain what a chemical bond is and then discuss various types of chemical bonds which join the atoms together to give various types of substances. The discussion would also highlight how are these bonds form.
The properties of substances depend on the nature of bonds present between their atoms. For example, in the lesson you will learn sodium chloride, the common salt and glucose dissolve in water whereas methane gas or naphthalene does not .This is because the type of bonds present between them are different. In addition to the difference in solubility, these two types of compounds differ in other properties about you will study in this lesson.
We will also briefly cover the nature of bonding in metals and correlate it to various characteristic properties of metals. Finally, hydrogen bonding which is an important interaction present between molecules would be explained.