Deep-Dive Guides · Chemical Bonding
Chemical Bonding (Inorganic) — the complete deep dive
Three complementary models describe the same reality at rising levels of sophistication: VSEPR (predict shape from electron-pair repulsion), Valence Bond Theory (localised bonds, hybridisation, resonance), and Molecular Orbital Theory (delocalised orbitals — the only model that explains paramagnetic O₂, fractional bond.
Free extract — the opening section of the guide, in full.
0. How to use — three models, one molecule
Pick the model that answers the question asked:
| Question | Best model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| What is the shape / bond angle? | VSEPR | fast, needs only steric number & lone pairs |
| Which orbitals, hybridisation, resonance? | VBT | localised bonds match Lewis intuition |
| Magnetism, bond order, spectra, why O₂ paramagnetic? | MOT | only delocalised model gives unpaired e⁻ & fractional BO |
| Ionic vs covalent, lattice energy, solubility? | Ionic model + Fajans | electrostatics + polarisation |
| Conductivity of a solid? | Band theory | MO limit of an infinite lattice |
Read the rest of this guide
The remaining 11 sections — VSEPR — predicting molecular shape, Valence Bond Theory & hybridisation, Molecular Orbital Theory, Ionic bonding & lattice energy and more — are part of ChemVidya Full Access, along with the other guides, the books, the study notes and 6,000+ practice questions with worked solutions.