What type(s) of bonding would be expected for each of the following materials: solid xenon, calcium fluoride \(\left(\mathrm{CaF}_{2}\right),\) bronze, cadmium tel luride (CdTe), rubber, and tungsten?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: Solid xenon has van der Waals forces, calcium fluoride (CaF2) has ionic bonding, bronze has metallic bonding, cadmium telluride (CdTe) has covalent bonding, rubber has covalent bonding with secondary van der Waals forces, and tungsten has metallic bonding.

Step by step solution

01

Solid Xenon

Solid xenon is a noble gas element. Noble gases have a full valence electron shell, which means they don't form bonds under normal conditions. However, when in solid form, they are held together by weak van der Waals forces (also known as London dispersion forces). So, the type of bonding in solid xenon is van der Waals forces.
02

Calcium Fluoride (CaF2)

Calcium fluoride (CaF2) is an ionic compound. This can be deduced because it is formed from the reaction between a metal (calcium, which is in group 2 of the periodic table and has a +2 charge) and a non-metal (fluorine, which is in group 17 of the periodic table and has a -1 charge). The metal transfers its electrons to the non-metal, resulting in the formation of positive and negative ions. These ions are held together by electrostatic forces, forming an ionic bond. So, the type of bonding in calcium fluoride (CaF2) is ionic bonding.
03

Bronze

Bronze is an alloy, which is a mixture of metals. Specifically, it is composed mainly of copper and tin. Metals are characterized by a sea of delocalized electrons that can move freely throughout the metal lattice. The metallic bond arises from the electrostatic attraction between these free electrons and the positively charged metal cations. Therefore, the type of bonding in bronze is metallic bonding.
04

Cadmium Telluride (CdTe)

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is a compound formed by a metal (cadmium) and a non-metal (telluride). However, unlike ionic compounds, compounds formed by a metal and a non-metal from the same side of the periodic table tend to form covalent bonds. In the case of CdTe, each atom shares electrons with the other, resulting in a covalent bond. So, the type of bonding in cadmium telluride (CdTe) is covalent bonding.
05

Rubber

Rubber is a polymer, which is made up of long chains of repeating units. These chains are held together by covalent bonds. Between the chains, however, there are weak van der Waals forces that help maintain the material's structure. So, the primary type of bonding in rubber is covalent bonding, with secondary van der Waals forces.
06

Tungsten

Tungsten is a metal. As we have previously discussed, metals are characterized by a sea of delocalized electrons and the metallic bond arises from the electrostatic attraction between these free electrons and the positively charged metal cations. Therefore, the type of bonding in tungsten is metallic bonding.

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