If covalently bonded atoms have different electronegativities the distribution of electron density will be more towards the more electronegative atom which will acquire a slight negative charge.
Electron density distribution refers to how the electrons are spread out in space around the atoms in a bond or molecule.The electron-density distribution is the three-dimensional real-space arrangement of the electrons in the material. Because electrons are quantum mechanically delocalised, each electron occupies a 'fuzzy' region of space called an electron cloud.
Distribution of Electron Density
Read the text
Read the text and highlight anything you think is important. When you go on, the text is hidden and you answer from memory.
Specification: Edexcel Chemistry (8CH0), AS-level, Topic 2B: Structure and Topic 2A: Bonding. Topic: Bonding.
Key terms in this lesson
- electronegativity
- The ability of a bonded atom to attract the shared pair of electrons in a covalent bond towards itself.
More in Bonding
- Formation of Ions
- Evidence for the Existence of Ions
- Covalent Bonds
- π-bonds
- Bond Length and Bond Strength
- Electronegativity
- Polar Covalent Bonds
- Continuum of Bonding Type
All 15 lessons in Bonding · All Edexcel AS-level Chemistry topics