Chemistry: Properties of Matter - Chemical Bonding and Naming Compounds

Valence Electrons: These are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom. They determine how an atom bonds. For example, Carbon has $4$ valence electrons.

The Octet Rule: Atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration with $8$ valence electrons, similar to noble gases.

Ionic Bonding: Formed through the transfer of electrons from a metal to a non-metal. This results in the formation of a cation ($+$) and an anion ($-$), held together by electrostatic forces, such as in $NaCl$.

Covalent Bonding: Formed when two non-metals share pairs of electrons to achieve stability. A single bond involves one pair ($2$ electrons), like in $H_2$.

Naming Ionic Compounds: The metal (cation) is named first, followed by the non-metal (anion) with the suffix '-ide'. For transition metals, the charge is indicated with Roman numerals, e.g., $FeCl_3$ is Iron(III) chloride.

Polyatomic Ions: Groups of atoms that act as a single charged unit, such as Sulfate ($SO_4^{2-}$) or Nitrate ($NO_3^{-}$).

Naming Covalent Compounds: Prefixes (mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, etc.) are used to indicate the number of atoms of each element. For example, $CO_2$ is Carbon dioxide and $N_2O_4$ is Dinitrogen tetroxide.