The Chemistry of Life Vocabulary

A(n) _______________ is the smallest basic unit of matter.

• element

• atom

• molecule

• compound

A(n) ___________________ is one particular type of atom, it has a specific name.

• compound

• atom

• element

• ion

A(n) ____________________ is a substance made of atoms of different elements bonded together in a certain ratio.

• compound

• mixture

• molecule

• covalent bond

A(n) ____________________ is two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds.

• molecule

• compound

• atom

• ion

A(n) ________________ bond formed when atoms share a pair of electrons.

• ion

• ionic

• covalent

• compound

____________________ bonds form between nonmentals & sometimes metalloids

• ionic

• covalent

• ion

• molecule

When like charges repel, and opposites attract

(When 2 atoms approach each other - the electrons of each are attracted to the protons of the other)

• polarity

• electronegativity

• nonpolar covalent bonds

• electrostatic force

When bonding, atoms try to find that perfect distance, or the “point of minimum energy” between two bonded atoms.

• ionic bond

• electrostatic force

• electronegativity

• bond length

Electrons are attracted to the atom with higher __________________________ (The ability of an atom to attract shared electrons)

• electronegativity

• electrostatic force

• bond length

• electrons

The separation of charges (one side is negative, one side is positive) in a bond is called ________________.

• bond length

• polarity

• bond separation

• electrostatic force