Revision Notes MCQ Bank SAQ Bank Study Cards Courses Teachers Blog
AQA A Level Chemistry

3.1.3
Bonding

AQA 3.1.3 covers ionic, covalent and metallic bonding, bonding and physical properties, shapes of molecules and ions, bond polarity and intermolecular forces. This topic links structure, bonding and forces to melting point, conductivity, crystal structure and molecular shape.

Exam Paper
Paper 1
7405/1
Specification Points
3.1.3.1 – 3.1.3.7
7 AQA sections
Sub-topics
9 lessons
Revision notes available
Exam Board
AQA
AQA 7405

Revision Notes

9 revision notes, in the order the specification teaches them.

A cube lattice of alternating large and small ions
1

Ionic Bonding

Electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions in a lattice, ionic formulae and properties.

Start revising
Two overlapping atoms sharing a pair of electrons
2

Covalent Bonding

Single, multiple and dative covalent bonds, including line and arrow representations.

Start revising
A ball-and-stick molecule with six atoms around a centre
3

Shapes of Molecules and Ions

Electron-pair repulsion, lone pairs, bond angles and shapes of simple molecules and ions.

Start revising
Bonding electrons pulled towards the stronger atom
4

Bond Polarity

Electronegativity, polar covalent bonds and why some molecules have permanent dipoles.

Start revising
Rows of metal ions in a sea of electrons
5

Metallic Bonding

Attraction between delocalised electrons and positive ions arranged in a lattice.

Start revising
A diamond network beside graphite layers
6

Giant Covalent Structures

Macromolecular structures such as diamond and graphite, and their properties.

Start revising
A molecular crystal of neat rows of two-atom molecules
7

Simple Molecular Structures

Molecular substances such as iodine and ice, including melting point and conductivity.

Start revising
Separate small molecules beside one giant network
8

Structure Types

Giant ionic, giant metallic, giant covalent and simple molecular lattices compared: melting point, conductivity, solubility and energy changes on changes of state (3.1.3.4).

Start revising
Molecules held together by forces between them
9

Intermolecular Forces

Van der Waals (induced dipole-dipole) forces, permanent dipole-dipole forces and hydrogen bonding.

Start revising

Summary Map

Download, print and revise the key facts of this topic at a glance.

Summary map

Download, print and revise the key facts of this topic at a glance.

Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Structures Map

AQA A-level Chemistry · 3.1.3 Bonding · Structures

The whole section on one A4 page: diamond and graphite and how to draw them, the four types of crystal structure, and how to deduce a structure.

Download the map6 key ideas + a data table · A4 portrait · print ready

© 2026 Online Learning System. For personal study: printing is allowed; editing, copying and redistribution are not.

Virtual Lessons

Recorded video lessons that teach the topic step by step.

Coming soon

The Virtual Lessons for 3.1.3 Bonding are being recorded.

MCQ Bank

Multiple-choice papers on this topic, marked the moment you submit.

Coming soon

The MCQ papers for 3.1.3 Bonding are being written.

Open the MCQ Bank

SAQ Bank

Written, drawn and worked exam practice on this topic.

Coming soon

The exam practice papers for 3.1.3 Bonding are being written.

Open the SAQ Bank

Revision Game

Match reagents to products, with your board's reagents and conditions.

Coming soon

The revision game for 3.1.3 Bonding is being built.

Study Cards

Pick a deck, then turn each card to check what you remember.

Specification

Every specification point in this topic, in the exam board's own words. Rate how confident you are with each one.

Official AQA documentsSpecification (opens the AQA website in a new tab)Data booklet (opens the AQA website in a new tab)

Self-assessment · 47 points

Sign in to rate how confident you feel about each point. Your ratings are saved to your account, follow you to any device, and appear beside your KASP analytics, kept apart from your marks.

Sign in to rate yourself
0 Confident0 Getting there0 Not yet47 Not rated

3.1.3.1

  1. i

    understand that ionic bonding involves electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions in a lattice

    Revise
  2. ii a

    know the formula of the sulfate ion

    Revise
  3. ii b

    know the formula of the hydroxide ion

    Revise
  4. ii c

    know the formula of the nitrate ion

    Revise
  5. ii d

    know the formula of the carbonate ion

    Revise
  6. ii e

    know the formula of the ammonium ion

    Revise
  7. iii

    predict the charge on a simple ion using the position of the element in the Periodic Table

    Revise
  8. iv

    construct formulas for ionic compounds

    Revise

3.1.3.2

  1. i a

    know that a single covalent bond contains a shared pair of electrons

    Revise
  2. i b

    know that a single covalent bond contains one shared pair of electrons

    Revise
  3. ii

    know that multiple bonds contain multiple pairs of electrons

    Revise
  4. iii

    know that a co-ordinate (dative covalent) bond contains a shared pair of electrons with both electrons supplied by one atom

    Revise
  5. iv

    represent a covalent bond using a line

    Revise
  6. v

    represent a co-ordinate bond using an arrow

    Revise

3.1.3.3

  1. i

    understand that metallic bonding involves attraction between delocalised electrons and positive ions arranged in a lattice

    Revise

3.1.3.4

  1. i a

    know ionic crystal structures

    Revise
  2. i b

    know metallic crystal structures

    Revise
  3. i c

    know macromolecular (giant covalent) crystal structures

    Revise
  4. i d

    know molecular crystal structures

    Revise
  5. ii a

    know the structure of diamond as an example of crystal structure

    Revise
  6. ii b

    know the structure of graphite as an example of crystal structure

    Revise
  7. ii c

    know the structure of ice as an example of crystal structure

    Revise
  8. ii d

    know the structure of iodine as an example of crystal structure

    Revise
  9. ii e

    know the structure of magnesium as an example of crystal structure

    Revise
  10. ii f

    know the structure of sodium chloride as an example of crystal structure

    Revise
  11. iii a

    relate the melting point of materials to the type of structure and bonding present

    Revise
  12. iii b

    relate the conductivity of materials to the type of structure and bonding present

    Revise
  13. iv

    explain the energy changes associated with changes of state

    Revise
  14. v

    draw diagrams to represent these structures involving specified numbers of particles

    Revise

3.1.3.5

  1. i

    understand that bonding pairs and lone pairs of electrons act as charge clouds that repel each other

    Revise
  2. ii

    understand that pairs of electrons in the outer shell arrange themselves as far apart as possible to minimise repulsion

    Revise
  3. iii a

    know that lone pair-lone pair repulsion is greater than lone pair-bond pair repulsion

    Revise
  4. iii b

    know that lone pair-bond pair repulsion is greater than bond pair-bond pair repulsion

    Revise
  5. iv a

    explain the shapes of simple molecules and ions with up to six electron pairs surrounding the central atom

    Revise
  6. iv b

    explain the bond angles in simple molecules and ions with up to six electron pairs surrounding the central atom

    Revise
  7. iv c

    include lone pairs when explaining shapes and bond angles in simple molecules and ions

    Revise

3.1.3.6

  1. i

    know electronegativity as the power of an atom to attract the pair of electrons in a covalent bond

    Revise
  2. ii

    understand that unequal electronegativity produces a polar covalent bond and may cause a molecule to have a permanent dipole

    Revise
  3. iii

    use partial charges to show that a bond is polar

    Revise
  4. iv

    explain why some molecules with polar bonds do not have a permanent dipole

    Revise

3.1.3.7

  1. i a

    know permanent dipole-dipole forces

    Revise
  2. i b

    know induced dipole-dipole forces (van der Waals, dispersion, London forces)

    Revise
  3. i c

    know hydrogen bonding

    Revise
  4. ii

    explain the existence of these intermolecular forces between familiar and unfamiliar molecules

    Revise
  5. iii

    explain how melting and boiling points of molecular substances are influenced by the strength of intermolecular forces

    Revise
  6. iv a

    explain the importance of hydrogen bonding in the low density of ice

    Revise
  7. iv b

    explain the importance of hydrogen bonding in anomalous boiling points of compounds

    Revise