Q13E - Chemistry (OpenStax)

Question

Compare the nature of the bonds in \({\bf{PbC}}{{\bf{l}}_2}\)to that of the bonds in \({\bf{PbC}}{{\bf{l}}_4}\).

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

These are two examples of substances with different bond characters made of the same elements, only in different ratios.

Step 1: Nature of bonds

Chemical bonds are formed by electron sharing among two different or same atoms. The nature of bonds can be predicted by the comparison of elements’ electronegative values.

Covalent (smaller electronegativity difference) and ionic bonds(larger electronegativity difference) are the two main categories of bonds.

Step 2: Determination of the nature of bonds

The structure of\(PbC{l_2}\) and \(PbC{l_4}\) is as follows:

Structure of Lead chloride

        Structure of Lead tetrachloride

 

• \(PbC{l_2}\) is an ionic compound, one of the few examples of non-soluble chloride salts while \(PbC{l_4}\) is a covalent liquid with a low boiling point.

 

• These are two examples of substances with different bond characters made of the same elements, only in different ratios.