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I'm falling behind in Chemistry (1 Viewer)

cccclaire

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We do nothing in my chemistry classes =[

I'm so bad at covalent networks. We never did them in class and my text-book is shocking.

also, can covalent compounds conduct electricity?
 

undalay

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cccclaire said:
also, can covalent compounds conduct electricity?
No.

Only metals, graphite, and molten ionic compounds conduct electricity i believe.
 

cccclaire

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undalay said:
No.

Only metals, graphite, and molten ionic compounds conduct electricity i believe.
yeh but what about water, doesn't water conduct electricity?
 
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Ok *tries to use memory*. Apparently pure H2O is a pretty bad conductor of electricity. But once you get into sea water and bathwater...they can conduct electricity better.

Can anyone confirm that???
 
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yeah i think sea water conducts electricity better because the ionic bonding in salts break and make it more conductable.
 

undalay

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cccclaire said:
yeh but what about water, doesn't water conduct electricity?
The common misconception is that water conducts electricity.

Actually, pure water, H2O, is a terrible conducter of electricity.
Only when things eg ions are dissolved into water is water able to conduct electricity.
 

cccclaire

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yay for the water stuff.

anyone explain covalent lattices?
Like I get covallent bonds, but with orbitals it really doesn't make sense to me how its all bonded together?
 

undalay

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cccclaire said:
yay for the water stuff.

anyone explain covalent lattices?
Like I get covallent bonds, but with orbitals it really doesn't make sense to me how its all bonded together?
There are two main types of covalent bonds.

Covalent molecular are just covalently bonded atoms that form a molecule.
eg. Water, Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen gas

The individual molecules also have intermolecular attractions between them that bind them together. These intermolecular attractions are much weaker then the actual covalent bonds, or even ionic bonds for that matter. Intermolecular forces are gone into greater depth in the water topic.

This is why covalent molecular compounds generally have low melting and boiling points, because as the bonds between them are weaker, less energy is required to break them.

Covalent network are just continuously covalently bonded atoms that form lattices, and not molecules (think ionic bonds).

The actual covalent bonds are incredibly strong, that is why covalent networks, eg. Diamond, have very high melting points.

Look at some diagrams and such, it makes it easier :)
 
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Mark576

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cccclaire said:
We do nothing in my chemistry classes =[

I'm so bad at covalent networks. We never did them in class and my text-book is shocking.

also, can covalent compounds conduct electricity?
No, covalent molecular compounds cannot, with the exception being that acids dissolved in aqueous solutions can conduct electricity. Covalent network compounds do not conduct electricity either in solid or liquid form, with the exception being graphite, one of carbon's allotropic forms.

I think. :confused:
 
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