Tug of War for Electrons

Electronegativity and bond types

An interactive lesson with 6 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Electronegativity measures an atom’s pull on shared electrons (0.8 to 4.0).
• Small differences give covalent bonds, large differences ionic ones.
• Water’s bent, polar shape gives it hydrogen bonds and remarkable properties.

Steps

1. Who pulls harder?
2. Pick two atoms
3. The water bond
4. Why water is special
5. Ionic or covalent?
6. The hungriest atom