SECTION SUMMARY
8.1 Molecular Compounds Summary:
Every substance can either be an element or a compound. A compound is either ionic
or molecular. Covalent bond that is joins atoms held together by sharing electrons in
molecular compounds whereas ionic bond is in ionic compounds. Most molecular
compounds consist of two or more molecules.
Molecules are an electrically neutral group of atoms joined together by covalent
bonds. Molecules consisting of two atoms are diatomic molecules. Oxygen
molecules O2 and hydrogen molecules H2, are example of diatomic molecules.
Molecular compounds are composed of molecules. They tend to heave low melting
and boiling points, while ionic compounds tend to have high melting and boiling
points.
A molecular formula is the chemical formula of a molecular compound. It shows
how many atoms of each element a molecule contains. For instance, there are 4
carbon atoms, and 10 hydrogen atoms in butane (C4H10). A molecular formula does
not indicate the structure of the molecule.
The molecular structure of carbon dioxide is one carbon atom with two oxygen atoms
on opposite sides of it.
8.1 Molecular Compounds Vocabulary Terms:
covalent bond:
joins atoms held together by sharing electrons
molecule:
an electrically neutral group of atoms joined together by
covalent bonds
diatomic molecule:
molecule that consists of two atoms
molecular compound:
compound composed of molecules
molecular formula:
the chemical formula of a molecular compound
The End of the Summary