CHEMICAL BONDING AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE

Matter's diversity and properties fundamentally depend on how atoms combine. Chemical bonds—the forces holding atoms together—determine whether a substance is a hard diamond, flexible plastic, reactive gas, or stable salt. Understanding chemical bonding requires knowledge of how electrons are rearranged when atoms interact, how this rearrangement leads to different bond types, and how molecular geometry emerges from bonding patterns. From simple molecules like water and ammonia to complex protein structures, bonding explains both the existence and behavior of matter. This chapter explores the principles governing chemical bond formation, major bond types, theories of bonding, and how structure determines molecular properties.

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