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Quizzes > Science > Chemistry

Ionic and Covalent Bonding Quiz: Can You Ace It?

Take our ionic bonding quiz and test your covalent bonding skills!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper cut art showing ionic bonds and covalent molecules with shared electrons on golden yellow background

Ready to master ionic and covalent bonding? Our free ionic and covalent bonding quiz is designed for curious chemistry enthusiasts like you. Whether you're brushing up on ion charges or exploring shared electron pairs, this set of chemistry bonding questions covers ionic bonding quiz topics and covalent bonding quiz essentials in one go. Explore tricky scenarios in individual ions and molecules, then test your understanding with real-world examples. To get started, check out our comprehensive bonding quiz and sharpen your skills. Feeling confident? Dive into a deeper chemical bonding quiz and ace the concepts! Jump in now and see just how strong your knowledge bonds!

What type of bond is formed when one atom donates an electron to another atom?
Hydrogen bond
Ionic bond
Covalent bond
Metallic bond
An ionic bond forms when one atom transfers one or more electrons to another, resulting in oppositely charged ions that attract each other. This typically occurs between metals and nonmetals with a large electronegativity difference. Ionic compounds often form crystalline solids with high melting points and conduct electricity when molten or dissolved. ChemLibreTexts
Which type of bond involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms?
Covalent bond
Ionic bond
Van der Waals interaction
Metallic bond
A covalent bond forms when two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons, typically between nonmetal atoms. These shared electrons allow each atom to achieve a filled valence shell. Covalent bonds can be single, double, or triple depending on the number of electron pairs shared. ChemLibreTexts
In a nonpolar covalent bond, how are electrons shared between two atoms?
Completely transferred
Delocalized
Unequally
Equally
Nonpolar covalent bonds occur when two atoms have identical or very similar electronegativities, leading to an equal sharing of electrons. This equal sharing results in no permanent dipole moment. Such bonds are common in diatomic elements like N? and O?. ChemLibreTexts
Which element is most likely to form a cation by losing one electron?
Oxygen
Neon
Sodium
Chlorine
Sodium is an alkali metal with one valence electron in its outer shell. It can achieve a noble-gas configuration by losing that one electron to form Na?. Elements like oxygen and chlorine are nonmetals and tend to gain electrons, while neon is inert. ChemLibreTexts
A bond between potassium and chlorine is best classified as what type of bond?
Covalent
Ionic
Coordinate covalent
Metallic
Potassium, a metal, transfers an electron to chlorine, a nonmetal, forming K? and Cl? ions. The electrostatic attraction between these ions creates an ionic bond. Ionic bonds commonly occur between elements with large differences in electronegativity. ChemLibreTexts
What is the charge on the oxide ion after it gains electrons?
1+
2?
1?
2+
An oxygen atom has six valence electrons and needs two more to complete its octet. By gaining two electrons, it becomes O²?, the oxide ion. This is common in many ionic oxides. ChemLibreTexts
What type of bond holds the sulfur atoms together in an S8 ring in elemental sulfur?
Covalent bonds
Metallic bonds
Hydrogen bonds
Ionic bonds
Elemental sulfur exists as S? rings where each sulfur atom forms two single covalent bonds with its neighbors. These covalent bonds create a puckered ring structure. There are no ions or metallic bonding in elemental sulfur. ChemLibreTexts
Which of these compounds contains a polar covalent bond?
NaF
MgO
HCl
O2
HCl shares electrons between H and Cl but unequally, as chlorine is more electronegative, resulting in a polar covalent bond. O? is nonpolar covalent, while NaF and MgO are ionic compounds. ChemLibreTexts
An electronegativity difference of about 1.0 between two atoms typically indicates what type of bond?
Nonpolar covalent
Metallic
Polar covalent
Ionic
Electronegativity differences between about 0.5 and 1.7 usually produce polar covalent bonds, where electrons are shared unequally. Differences below 0.5 are often considered nonpolar covalent, and above 1.7 mostly ionic. This scale is a guideline, not a strict rule. ChemLibreTexts
Which ionic compound below is expected to have the highest lattice energy?
NaCl
CaF2
KBr
MgO
Lattice energy increases with higher ionic charges and smaller ionic radii. MgO contains Mg²? and O²?, both with higher charges and relatively small size, leading to a very high lattice energy. ChemLibreTexts
What is the molecular geometry of ammonia, NH3, according to VSEPR theory?
Trigonal pyramidal
Tetrahedral
Bent
Linear
NH? has three bonding pairs and one lone pair of electrons around the nitrogen. According to VSEPR theory, this arrangement yields a trigonal pyramidal shape. The lone pair repels more strongly, slightly reducing bond angles from the ideal tetrahedral. ChemLibreTexts
What is the formal charge on the carbon atom in carbon dioxide (CO2)?
+2
0
+1
-1
In CO?, each oxygen atom forms a double bond with carbon, and there are no lone pairs on carbon in its Lewis structure. Formal charge = valence electrons ? nonbonding electrons ? ½ bonding electrons = 4 ? 0 ? 4 = 0. ChemLibreTexts
Which molecule exhibits resonance among its Lewis structures?
NH3
O3
CH4
H2O
Ozone (O?) has a Lewis structure with one single and one double bond that can be placed between either pair of oxygen atoms. This leads to two equivalent resonance structures. Resonance delocalizes electrons over the molecule. ChemLibreTexts
Which molecule has polar covalent bonds but is overall nonpolar due to its symmetry?
HCl
CO2
NH3
H2O
Carbon dioxide has two polar C=O bonds, but they are oriented 180° apart, causing their dipoles to cancel. This results in an overall nonpolar molecule despite having polar bonds. ChemLibreTexts
Which diatomic molecule has a nonpolar covalent bond?
CO
HCl
HF
N2
N? consists of two identical nitrogen atoms sharing electrons equally, resulting in a nonpolar covalent bond. HCl, CO, and HF have electronegativity differences that create polar covalent bonds. ChemLibreTexts
Which statement correctly relates bond length and bond strength?
Only triple bonds are strongest
Shorter bonds are weaker
Shorter bonds are stronger
Bond length is independent of strength
Generally, as bond length decreases, the nuclei of the bonded atoms are closer together and the bond is stronger. Single bonds are longest and weakest, double bonds are shorter and stronger, and triple bonds are shortest and strongest among covalent bonds. ChemLibreTexts
What is the oxidation state of sulfur in the sulfate ion, SO4^2-?
+6
+4
+5
+2
In SO?²?, oxygen has an oxidation state of ?2 each, totaling ?8. To balance to the overall ?2 charge, sulfur must be +6. This is a standard method for determining oxidation states. ChemLibreTexts
How is a coordinate covalent bond defined?
Both electrons in the shared pair are donated by one atom
Electrons are delocalized over several atoms
Each atom donates one electron to the bond
Electrons are transferred to form ions
A coordinate covalent (dative) bond forms when one atom provides both electrons in the bonding pair to an empty orbital of another atom. Once formed, it is indistinguishable from other covalent bonds. An example is the formation of NH?? from NH? and H?. ChemLibreTexts
Which compound among the following has the greatest percent ionic character?
HF
NaCl
HCl
O2
Percent ionic character increases with greater electronegativity differences. NaCl has one of the largest differences among common diatomic combinations, making it the most ionic of these choices. HF and HCl are polar covalent, while O? is nonpolar. ChemLibreTexts
Which substance would you expect to have the lowest melting point?
SiO2
CH4
NaCl
MgO
CH? is a molecular compound with weak London dispersion forces, leading to a very low melting point. NaCl, SiO?, and MgO have ionic or network covalent structures that require much more energy to break. ChemLibreTexts
In the Born-Haber cycle, which step represents lattice enthalpy?
Formation of ionic solid from gaseous ions
Sublimation of the metal
Electron affinity of the nonmetal
Ionization of metal atoms
Lattice enthalpy is defined as the enthalpy change when gaseous cations and anions combine to form one mole of an ionic solid. It is always exothermic for the formation step. Other steps in the cycle include ionization, electron affinity, and sublimation. ChemLibreTexts
Which ionic species has the largest ionic radius?
Mg2+
O2-
Na+
F-
Ionic radius increases with added electrons and decreases with higher positive charge. O²? has more electrons and less nuclear pull per electron than F?, Na?, or Mg²?, making it the largest. ChemLibreTexts
What is the hybridization of the central atom in sulfur hexafluoride, SF6?
sp3d2
sp2
sp3d
sp3
SF? has six bonding pairs around sulfur and no lone pairs, requiring six hybrid orbitals. The hybridization that accommodates six electron domains is sp³d². This yields an octahedral geometry. ChemLibreTexts
What is the approximate bond angle in a water molecule according to VSEPR theory?
104.5°
120°
90°
109.5°
Water has two bonding pairs and two lone pairs on the oxygen atom. Lone pair - lone pair repulsion is greater than lone pair - bonding pair repulsion, compressing the H - O - H angle to about 104.5°. Ideal tetrahedral is 109.5°, but lone pairs reduce it. ChemLibreTexts
Using a Born-Haber cycle for the formation of NaCl(s), calculate the standard enthalpy change (?Hf°) given these values: ?Hsub of Na(s) = +108 kJ/mol, 1/2 bond enthalpy of Cl2 = +121 kJ/mol, IE1 of Na = +496 kJ/mol, EA of Cl = -349 kJ/mol, lattice energy = -787 kJ/mol.
-501 kJ/mol
-369 kJ/mol
-411 kJ/mol
-261 kJ/mol
The enthalpy of formation is the sum: 108 + 121 + 496 + (-349) + (-787) = -411 kJ/mol. This calculation follows the Born-Haber cycle steps of sublimation, bond dissociation, ionization, electron affinity, and lattice formation. The resulting value matches standard data. ChemLibreTexts
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Ionic and Covalent Bonds -

    Explain the fundamental principles of ionic and covalent bonding, including how atoms transfer or share electrons to achieve stable configurations.

  2. Identify Bond Types -

    Classify given chemical formulas and scenarios as ionic or covalent based on electronegativity differences and bonding behavior.

  3. Differentiate Physical Properties -

    Compare melting point, solubility, and conductivity characteristics of ionic versus covalent compounds.

  4. Predict Bond Formation -

    Determine the most likely bond type between two elements by analyzing their positions on the periodic table and electron configurations.

  5. Analyze Electron Configurations -

    Use electron dot structures to illustrate how atoms achieve full valence shells in ionic and covalent bonds.

  6. Evaluate Molecular Polarity -

    Assess molecular geometry and electronegativity to predict whether a covalent molecule will be polar or nonpolar.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Electronegativity Differences -

    Review how the Pauling scale assigns values to elements and use the ΔEN rule: differences above ~1.7 generally yield ionic bonds, while those below produce covalent bonds. For example, NaCl (2.1 EN for Cl minus 0.9 EN for Na ≈1.2) is ionic, whereas Cl₂ (ΔEN=0) is purely covalent. Mnemonic: "Bigger gap means ions unwrap."

  2. Lewis Dot Structures -

    Practice drawing Lewis diagrams to count valence electrons and depict bond sharing or transfer; water (H₂O) shows two shared pairs, while NaCl shows electron transfer forming Na❺ and Cl❻. Confirm octet completion and formal charges for accuracy (see MIT OpenCourseWare guidelines). A quick tip: start by placing the least electronegative atom centrally.

  3. Bond Polarity & Partial Charges -

    Understand that polar covalent bonds have unequal electron sharing, denoted δ❺ and δ❻, like in HCl (ΔEN≈0.9). Classify bonds: nonpolar (<0.5), polar (0.5 - 1.7), ionic (>1.7) based on electronegativity differences (Perkins, Chemistry Textbook). Recognizing these partial charges is key to predicting molecular behavior in your ionic and covalent bonding quiz.

  4. VSEPR Geometry & Polarity -

    Use VSEPR theory to predict molecular shapes that influence overall polarity: linear CO₂ is nonpolar despite polar bonds, whereas bent H₂O is polar. Remember "2 bond pairs = linear, 3 = trigonal, 4 = tetrahedral," then adjust for lone pairs. Geometry mastery boosts confidence when tackling chemistry bonding questions.

  5. Lattice & Bond Energies -

    Compare lattice energies in ionic crystals (e.g., NaCl ≈786 kJ/mol) with bond dissociation energies in covalent molecules (e.g., H - H ≈436 kJ/mol) to gauge bond strength (IUPAC standards). Apply Coulomb's law E=(kQ₝Q₂)/r for ionic interactions in your chemical bonding quiz. Stronger bonds or tighter lattices mean higher energy requirements to break.

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