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AQA A Level Chemistry

Covalent
Bonding

Covalent bonding in AQA 3.1.3 focuses on shared pairs of electrons, multiple covalent bonds and co-ordinate bonds. These pages also connect covalent bonding to electronegativity, polar covalent bonds and the way electron distribution affects molecular polarity.

Exam Paper
Paper 1
7405/1
Specification Points
3.1.3.2 & 3.1.3.6
Covalent bonds and electronegativity
Sub-topics
3 lessons
Revision notes available
Exam Board
AQA
AQA 7405

Revision Notes

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

Two overlapping atoms sharing a pair of electrons
1

Covalent Bonding

Single covalent bonds, multiple covalent bonds and the use of a line to represent a shared pair of electrons.

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A lone pair forming a dative bond to a boron atom
2

Dative Covalent Bonding

Co-ordinate bonds, electron pair donation and using an arrow to represent a dative covalent bond.

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Bonding electrons pulled towards the stronger atom
3

Electronegativity

Electronegativity as the power of an atom to attract the pair of electrons in a covalent bond.

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Summary Map

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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

Covalent Bonding Map

AQA A-level Chemistry · 3.1.3 Bonding · Covalent bonding

The whole section on one A4 page: shared pairs, dot-and-cross diagrams, bonds as lines, co-ordinate bonds as arrows, electronegativity and polarity.

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

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Study Cards

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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)

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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. v

    represent a co-ordinate bond using an arrow

    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