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University of South Carolina-Columbia
CHEM 333 Chemical Bonding and Molecular
Geometry Questions and Answers 2026
Latest Update
octet rule Ans: states that atoms lose, gain, or share electrons in order to
acquire the stable electron configuration of a noble gas
ionic bond Ans: electrostatic force that holds oppositely charged particles
together in an ionic compound; TRANSFERRING ELECTRONS
(extreme case of 2 atoms of very different electronegativities)
greater than or equal to 1.7 in difference of electronegativities
covalent bond Ans: chemical bond that results from the sharing of valence
electrons SHARING ELECTRONS
multiple covalent bond Ans: bonds that involve more than one pair of
electrons
polar covalent bond Ans: a covalent bond with greater electron density
around one of the atoms; 0.4-1.7 difference in electronegativity
non-polar covalent bond Ans: a covalent bond in which electron density is
equal around both atoms
less than 0.4 difference in electronegativity
saturated hydrocarbons Ans: having only single bonds, ends with -ane
(saturated--- lots of H)
unsaturated hydrocarbons Ans: contain multiple bonds (enes, ynes, etc.)
difference between carbohydrate and hydrocarbon Ans: Hydrocarbon: CH4
Carbohydrates: C6H12O6
© 2026 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
All carbohydrates are hydrocarbons but no hydrocarbons are carbohydrates
(I think)
sigma bond Ans: form when the electron pair is shared in the area centered
b/w 2 atoms (can be formed by s- and p- orbitals)
pi bond Ans: form when parallel orbitals overlap to share electrons above
and below the line connecting the two atoms (can only be formed by parallel
p-orbitals)
resonance structures Ans: one of two or more Lewis structures for a single
molecule that cannot be accurately represented by only one Lewis structure
hybridization Ans: process in which different atomic orbitals are mixed to
form new/identical orbitals
sp3, sp2, and sp hybridization
isomers Ans: molecules that have same numbers and kinds of atoms but
differ in the way atoms are arranged
structural isomers Ans: isomers that have the same formula but different
structures
stereoisomers Ans: - made up of same types and number of elements with
the same sequence but different spatial arrangement
- only double bonds
- cis- and trans- isomers
optical isomers Ans: non-superimposable mirror images (absolutely the
same in chemical properties EXCEPT light thing)
dipole moment Ans: determines shift in electron density due to
electronegativity difference (how polar is the molecule)
hydrogen bond Ans: special type of dipole-dipole interaction b/w a H atom
bonded to a very electronegative atom and an unshared pair of electrons in
another very electronegative atom (such as N, O, or F)
dipole-dipole attraction Ans: attractive forces b/w polar molecules
© 2026 All rights reserved
University of South Carolina-Columbia
CHEM 333 Chemical Bonding and Molecular
Geometry Questions and Answers 2026
Latest Update
octet rule Ans: states that atoms lose, gain, or share electrons in order to
acquire the stable electron configuration of a noble gas
ionic bond Ans: electrostatic force that holds oppositely charged particles
together in an ionic compound; TRANSFERRING ELECTRONS
(extreme case of 2 atoms of very different electronegativities)
greater than or equal to 1.7 in difference of electronegativities
covalent bond Ans: chemical bond that results from the sharing of valence
electrons SHARING ELECTRONS
multiple covalent bond Ans: bonds that involve more than one pair of
electrons
polar covalent bond Ans: a covalent bond with greater electron density
around one of the atoms; 0.4-1.7 difference in electronegativity
non-polar covalent bond Ans: a covalent bond in which electron density is
equal around both atoms
less than 0.4 difference in electronegativity
saturated hydrocarbons Ans: having only single bonds, ends with -ane
(saturated--- lots of H)
unsaturated hydrocarbons Ans: contain multiple bonds (enes, ynes, etc.)
difference between carbohydrate and hydrocarbon Ans: Hydrocarbon: CH4
Carbohydrates: C6H12O6
© 2026 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
All carbohydrates are hydrocarbons but no hydrocarbons are carbohydrates
(I think)
sigma bond Ans: form when the electron pair is shared in the area centered
b/w 2 atoms (can be formed by s- and p- orbitals)
pi bond Ans: form when parallel orbitals overlap to share electrons above
and below the line connecting the two atoms (can only be formed by parallel
p-orbitals)
resonance structures Ans: one of two or more Lewis structures for a single
molecule that cannot be accurately represented by only one Lewis structure
hybridization Ans: process in which different atomic orbitals are mixed to
form new/identical orbitals
sp3, sp2, and sp hybridization
isomers Ans: molecules that have same numbers and kinds of atoms but
differ in the way atoms are arranged
structural isomers Ans: isomers that have the same formula but different
structures
stereoisomers Ans: - made up of same types and number of elements with
the same sequence but different spatial arrangement
- only double bonds
- cis- and trans- isomers
optical isomers Ans: non-superimposable mirror images (absolutely the
same in chemical properties EXCEPT light thing)
dipole moment Ans: determines shift in electron density due to
electronegativity difference (how polar is the molecule)
hydrogen bond Ans: special type of dipole-dipole interaction b/w a H atom
bonded to a very electronegative atom and an unshared pair of electrons in
another very electronegative atom (such as N, O, or F)
dipole-dipole attraction Ans: attractive forces b/w polar molecules
© 2026 All rights reserved
