Objectives for the topic: Atoms, ions, and bonds

Reading: See syllabus

Images to understand: See syllabus

After completing this topic, the student will be able to:

1. Define the following terms: ion, isotope.
2. Explain the structure of an atom.
3. Describe each of the five types of bonds, their relative strengths, and one or more minerals or mineral groups in which they are important.
4. Explain the relationship between bond strength and macroscopic hardness.
5. Describe the most common bonding type in crustal rocks.
6. List the typical valence state for the following elements: Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ca, Na, K, P, B, C, O, S, H, F, Cl.
7. Explain the inaccuracies in the various types of crystal structure models: ball-and stick, polyhedral, space-filling.
8. Explain the concept of ionic radius, and what particles of ions contribute to their sizes.
9. Place the following elements in order of ionic radius (in their common valence state): Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ca, Na, K, O, H.
10. Describe trend of ionic radius going across periodic table, and down periodic table (aside from transition elements).