Name: Answer Key
Covalent Bonding Study Guide
Use the book and notes to answer these questions. You will need to check your answers on Edmodo before you
turn this in.
1. How many valence electrons are in the following:
 Carbon
4

Silicon
4

Chlorine
7

Nitrogen
5
2. What is the name given to the pairs of valence electrons that do not participate in bonding?
Lone or unpaired
3. What is the name given to the pairs of valence electrons that do participate in bonding?
Shared pair
4. In a covalent bond, electrons are shared between atoms.
5. Which of the following is a covalent molecule (circle one)?
 LiCl
 BaO
 NO2
 MgBr2
Writing Formulas for Covalent Compounds
6. Write the formula for the following covalent compounds:

Sulfur tribromide
SBr3

Dinitrogen tetrachloride
N2Cl4

Dihydrogen monoxide
H2 O

Phosphorus Trihydride
PH3

Tetracarbon octahydride
C4H8
Nomenclature for Covalent Compounds
7. Name the following covalent compounds:

N4O6 tetranitrogen hexoxide

SO3
sulfur trioxide

SeF4
selenium tetrafluoride

PCl5
phosphorous pentachloride

XeI4
xenon tetraiodide
8. How many electrons are shared in a single bond? Double bond? Triple bond?

Single bond: 2

Double bond: 4

Triple bond: 6
9. Give 2 examples of a diatomic molecule.

10. List 3 properties of covalent molecules.
Hydrogen, oxygen, fluorine,

Low melting point
nitrogen, chlorine, iodine, bromine

2 nonmetals

Isn’t soluble
11. In a nonpolar covalent bond, electrons are shared equally.
12. In a polar covalent bond, electrons are shared unequally.
13. Label the partial positive and partial negative charge on the molecule below.
14. Define electronegativity (use the textbook).
Ability of an atom to attract electrons
15. Electronegativity determines the type of bond.
16. Draw an example of a polar molecule.
17. Draw an example of a nonpolar molecule.
18. What is an intramolecular force? Provide 2 examples.
The forces within a molecule are called intramolecular forces. This includes ionic and covalent
bonds.
19. What is an intermolecular force?
The forces between 2 molecules are called intermolecular forces. These forces are much weaker than
intramolecular forces.
20. Label the intermolecular and intramolecular forces on the figure below:
21. Which force is the strongest, intermolecular or intramolecular?
Intramolecular
22. Why are polar molecules “sticky”?
Because the partial charges are attracted to one another making them hard to separate.
23. Fill in the chart below:
Molecule: F2
Name: fluorine
Polar or nonpolar bonds: nonpolar
Lewis Structure:
Molecule: HCl
Name: hydrogen monochloride
Polar or nonpolar bonds: polar
Lewis structure:
Molecule: CCl4
Name: carbon tetrachloride
Polar or nonpolar bonds: polar
Lewis structure:
Molecule: SiO2
Name: silicon dioxide
Polar or nonpolar bonds: polar
Lewis structure:
Molecule: HI
Name: hydrogen monoiodide
Polar or nonpolar bonds: polar
Lewis structure:
Molecule: N2H4
Name: dinitrogen tetrahydride
Polar or nonpolar bonds: polar
Lewis structure:
Molecule: CO
Name: carbon monoxide
Polar or nonpolar bonds: polar
Lewis structure:
Molecule: CCl4
Name: carbon tetrachloride
Polar or nonpolar bonds: polar
Lewis structure:
Molecule: H2O
Name: dihydrogen monoxide
Polar or nonpolar bonds: polar
Lewis structure:
Molecule: CO2
Name: carbon dioxide
Polar or nonpolar bonds: polar
Lewis structure: