Giant Lattices (Edexcel AS Chemistry)

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Giant Lattices

Ionic Lattices

  • The ions form a lattice structure which is an evenly distributed crystalline structure
  • Ions in a lattice are arranged in a regular repeating pattern so that positive charges cancel out negative charges
  • The attraction between the cations and anions is occurring in all directions
    • Each ion is attracted to all of the oppositely charged ions around it

  • Therefore the final lattice is overall electrically neutral

 Chemical Bonding Ionic Lattice, downloadable AS & A Level Chemistry revision notes

Ionic solids are arranged in lattice structures

Metallic Lattices 

  • Metals form giant metallic lattices in which the metal ions are surrounded by a ‘sea’ of delocalised electrons
  • The metal ions are often packed in hexagonal layers or in a cubic arrangement
  • This layered structure with the delocalised electrons gives a metal its key properties

 

States of Matter Metallic Lattice, downloadable AS & A Level Chemistry revision notes

Layers of copper ions (the delocalised electrons are not shown in the diagram)

Covalent lattices

  • Covalent bonds are bonds between nonmetals in which electrons are shared between the atoms
  • Covalent compounds can be arranged in simple molecular or giant molecular lattices
    • Simple molecular lattices: iodine, buckminsterfullerene (C60) and ice
    • Giant molecular: silicon(IV) oxide, graphite and diamond

States of Matter Simple Molecular Lattice, downloadable AS & A Level Chemistry revision notes

Simple molecular lattices

 States of Matter Giant Molecular Lattice, downloadable AS & A Level Chemistry revision notes

Giant molecular lattices

Examiner Tip

Graphite, diamond and buckminsterfullerene are all allotropes of carbon; they are different structural forms of the same element (which is carbon).

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Philippa

Author: Philippa

Expertise: Chemistry

Philippa has worked as a GCSE and A level chemistry teacher and tutor for over thirteen years. She studied chemistry and sport science at Loughborough University graduating in 2007 having also completed her PGCE in science. Throughout her time as a teacher she was incharge of a boarding house for five years and coached many teams in a variety of sports. When not producing resources with the chemistry team, Philippa enjoys being active outside with her young family and is a very keen gardener.