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14.

13,
(viii) Calcium chloride is unsuitable for drying ethanol as the ethanol bonds to the calcium
chloride using a co-ordinate bond.
State what is meant by the term co-ordinate bond.
(a) Describe briefly the essential features of a covalent bond. Explain why covalent
compounds generally have low melting temperatures, despite covalent bonds being
[4]
strong.

1 Answer

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Answer:

A coordinate bond, also known as a dative bond, is a type of covalent bond in which both electrons in the bond are donated by one atom. This is different from a typical covalent bond, where both atoms contribute one electron each. In a coordinate bond, the atom donating both electrons is called the donor or Lewis base, while the atom receiving the electrons is called the acceptor or Lewis acid.

Essential features of a covalent bond include the sharing of electrons between two atoms in order to achieve a more stable electron configuration. In a covalent bond, atoms with similar electronegativities share their valence electrons in order to satisfy the octet rule, where atoms strive to have eight valence electrons in their outermost shell. Covalent compounds generally have low melting temperatures despite covalent bonds being strong because the intermolecular forces between the molecules in a covalent compound are weak. These intermolecular forces are primarily London dispersion forces, which are weak attractions between temporary dipoles in molecules. Since these forces are relatively weak, it takes less energy to break them and melt or boil the compound, even though the covalent bonds holding the atoms within each molecule together are strong

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