Term | Definition |
alloy | A mixture of a metal's atoms with another element. It has metallic properties. |
chemical bond | A force of attraction produced by transferring or sharing electrons that holds atoms together in compounds. |
covalent bond | Two atoms held together by their mutual attraction for the same pair of electrons. It usually involves two nonmetals. |
crystal lattice | An extensive three-dimensional structure that represents the regular pattern of atoms or ions. |
delocalized electron | An electron that can move between several different bonds; in benzene, and electron that can move throughout circular spaces above and below the plane of bonded nuclei. |
electron-sea theory | A theory that offers an explanation of how metals bond: the valence electrons of atoms are said to be freely shared among all atoms; also called the free-electron theory. |
electrostatic force | The field force exerted by electrical changes. It may be repulsive or attractive depending on the kinds of charges interacting. |
formula unit | The simplest ratio of elements in an ionic compound that describes its composition. |
ionic bond | The attraction and electron transfer between two oppositely charged ions in a solid. It usually involves a metal and a nonmetal. |
Lewis structure | A two-dimensional diagram that uses element symbols and dots to show the bonds between different atoms. |
metallic bond | A communal sharing of electrons between metal atoms. |
network covalent substance | Atoms covalently bonded into a continuous three-dimensional network, such as diamond. |
octet rule | The rule that an atom tends to gain, lose, or share electrons until its outer level s and p orbitals are filled with eight electrons. This activity gives an element the electron configuration and stability of a noble gas. |
polarity | The tendency of an object to form two localized poles of opposite character. In chemistry, polarity relates to electrical charge. |
polyatomic ion | A group of atoms that maintains a constant electrical charge while existing as a unit in a wide variety of chemical reactions, such as SO 4 2-. |