This document outlines an activity to teach students about covalent and ionic compounds, their names and formulas. The activity is designed to be completed in approximately 50 minutes using a slideshow presentation and accompanying worksheet. The activity progressively introduces different concepts relating to bonding and formulas, including the number of covalent bonds an element can form, charges on metal ions, and writing formulas for ionic compounds. Tips are provided for helping students with their first ionic compound.

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Bonding and Formulas
Aim: Students learn about covalent and ionic compounds, their names and formulas.
Running the Activity: It is assumed that all students have access to a computer. The
worksheet should drive the activity and is designed to be progressively more demanding.
The questions in the worksheet could be answered in exercise books or on the worksheet if
you modify it to provide space for answers.
Time to complete the activity: Approximately 50 minutes.
Assumed prior knowledge:
• how an element is represented by a chemical formula
• the structure of the periodic table
• the difference between an atom, a molecule and an ion.
Content
Slide Slide Name Question Learning Outcome
Elements join 1 Different atoms can make different numbers of
covalent bonds.
Number of bonds 2 There is a relationship between the group in the
periodic table and the number of bonds.
Bonds with
hydrogen
3 Naming compounds with covalent bonds.
Compounds with
hydrogen
4 Working out the names and formulas of covalent
compounds
Ionic bonding 5 For simple negative ions the charge is the same
as the number of covalent bonds.
Charges on metal
ions
6 There is a relationship between the group in the
periodic table and the charge on metal ions.
The formulas and
names of ionic
compounds
7 and 8 ‘Balancing’ charges to make ionic compounds.
9 Exercise to write formulas for six other ionic and
covalent compounds.
Tips
The pupils may need some help when they make their first compound.
For ionic bonding you can extend the activity by getting pupils to make the chloride and
sulphate of both iron ions (and possibly lead nitrate or hydroxide) and working out what the
bracketed Roman numerals mean.
Related files: Bonding and Formulas SlideShow.ssf: the SlideShow file to be displayed by
MSS.
Bonding and Formulas Worksheet.doc: the worksheet file accompanying the
SlideShow (3 pages).
Related tools: Formulas and Periodic Table
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