Covalent Character

[MichaelRaad_1F]

I don't understand how ionic bonds have covalent character and how covalent bonds have ionic character.

[Daria Obukhova 2B]

Covalent character arises from the unequal sharing of electrons. One of the ions is exerting a greater electrostatic attraction on the other ion's electrons and pulls them in quite close. The electrons end up being shared between the two ions. This doesn't happen with ionic bonds between the same element because there isn't a greater electrostatic attraction on either side, they're equal.

[Hayden Lee 1C]

Hi there!

Covalent bonds can have ionic character because elements within a bond have differing electronegativities. If one element in a bond has a greater electronegativity than the other, it will attract the electron more than the other element, causing the electron to be unevenly shared (having ionic character).

Ionic bonds can have covalent character when the cation of the ionic bond exerts an electrostatic attraction on the electrons of the anion, causing the electron distribution of the anion to be distorted. Since the electrons of the anion are distorted and pulled into the shared region of the elements, the ionic bond is stated to have covalent character.

Hope this helps!

[Rajshree 1F]

covalent molecules can have ionic character - ionic being that there are charged areas of the molecules due to one atom holding onto the shared electrons more closely. therefore like ions, the molecule has delta positive and delta negative portions. salts can be covalent character when the anion is much bigger than the cation and the electrons are able to be pulled towards the cation. this creates an attraction that keeps the ions close together, having a sort of covalent character.

[Joshua Swift]

All ionic bonds have some covalent character because when bonding, the cation exerts an electrostatic attraction on the electrons surrounding an anion and the anion's electrons are being pulled into the bonding region, they are not just taken or given away, they end up in the middle, similar to the way they are shared in covalent bonds.

[Chudi Onyedika 3A]

Covalent bonds have "ionic character" when it consists of an highly electronegative atom bonded with an atom that is not as electronegative. Electrons will gravitate towards the electronegative atom in the covalent bond more, giving that atom a partial negative charge and giving the other a partial positive charge. Covalent bonds are bonds that share electrons; bonds being kept in place by charges is an "ionic character."

Ionic bonds may also have a covalent character. The outer electrons will become more distant when bonding. This results in a distortion and a "bonding region." A bonding region is a "covalent character."

[Ellison Gonzales 1H]

Hi there!

Covalent bonds can have ionic character because elements within a bond have differing electronegativities. If one element in a bond has a greater electronegativity than the other, it will attract the electron more than the other element, causing the electron to be unevenly shared (having ionic character).

Ionic bonds can have covalent character when the cation of the ionic bond exerts an electrostatic attraction on the electrons of the anion, causing the electron distribution of the anion to be distorted. Since the electrons of the anion are distorted and pulled into the shared region of the elements, the ionic bond is stated to have covalent character.

Hope this helps!

Hi! Thank you for this explanation, but could you maybe explain what is the connection between distortion and covalent bonds? You touched on the fact that distortion is linked with covalent character, but I was wondering why is that? Thank you!

[Mari Williams 1K]

So does covalent character imply that ions are not fully transferred in ionic bonds, and are instead still shared to a degree because of the attraction?