Chemistry & Chemical Technologies

CHEMICAL BONDING AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE

Chemical Bonding: In order for chemical compounds to develop, atoms, ions, or molecules must be attracted to one another over time. Ionic bonds and covalent bonds both involve the sharing of electrons, which creates an electrostatic force between ions that have opposing charges. Based on the electrostatic attraction between the protons in atomic nuclei and the electrons in orbitals, a strong chemical bond is created when electrons are transferred between atomic centres or shared between them.  Due to variations in the electronegativity of the constituent elements, there are several kinds of strong bonds. Life depends on four different kinds of chemical bonds:

·         Ionic,

·         Covalent,

·         Hydrogen, and

·         Van der Waals interactions.

Typical chemical substances that are water, sodium chloride and carbon dioxide

Molecular Structure: It is the three-dimensional shape of proteins and nucleic acids that endows them with their biological activities. Structural molecular biology uses x-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, and other techniques to determine the three-dimensional arrangement of the atoms in biological molecules.  In a molecular structure the bond lengths and bond angles are those for which the molecular energy is the least. Molecular structure holds a key to understanding Nature's intricate design mechanisms and blueprints. If we can understand her blueprints and basic materials, perhaps we can begin to mimic her beautiful products more cost effectively and with less detrimental environmental consequences