Grade 10 · CAPS

Grade 10 Chemical Bonding

Physical Sciences practice questions and a worked example

Grade 10 chemical bonding covers covalent, ionic and metallic bonds and chemical formulae. The questions here ask you to identify the type of bond or structure in a substance, write chemical formulae and names of compounds, and use valency and group number to predict formulae. They come from the DBE Grade 10 common Paper 2 for November 2016, 2017 and 2018, each with the answer from the marking guideline.

Worked example

Ammonia (NH₃) is manufactured using an industrial process, known as the Haber process. It is used in the production of inorganic fertilisers, such as ammonium sulphate. 5.6 Name the type of bond between the atoms in the ammonia molecule. Give a reason for the answer.

Answer & explanation

Covalent bond. Electrons are shared between the atoms of hydrogen and nitrogen.
In an ammonia (NH₃) molecule, the bond between nitrogen and hydrogen atoms is a covalent bond. This type of bond forms when atoms share electrons. Nitrogen has five valence electrons and needs three more to complete its outer shell. Each hydrogen atom has one valence electron and needs one more to complete its shell. By sharing electrons, nitrogen and hydrogen achieve full outer shells, forming a stable molecule. This sharing of electrons is characteristic of covalent bonding, which is why the bond in ammonia is covalent.

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Chemical Bonding

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1.5 The chemical formula for sodium sulphate is …
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More practice questions

Explore additional Grade 10 Chemical Bonding questions.

  • 2
    Most substances used in our daily lives are either pure substances or mixtures. 2.4 Write down the chemical formulae of the following compounds: 2.4.2 Calcium hydroxide
  • 3
    Ammonia (NH₃) is manufactured using an industrial process, known as the Haber process. It is used in the production of inorganic fertilisers, such as ammonium sulphate. 5.5 Write down the chemical formula for ammonium sulphate.
  • 4
    1.3 In which ratio will group (I) elements react with group (VI) elements?
  • 5
    1.9 The chemical name for Fe₂(SO₄)₃ is …

Common mistakes

  • Mixing up ionic and covalent bonds. Ionic bonds form when electrons are transferred from a metal to a non-metal; covalent bonds share electrons between non-metals.
  • Forgetting brackets around polyatomic ions, as in Ca(OH)₂ and (NH₄)₂SO₄.
  • Ignoring the charges when writing a formula. The total positive and negative charges must balance.

More Grade 10 Physical Sciences topics

Aligned to CAPS Grade 10 Physical Sciences — Chemical Bonding. Curriculum source: CAPS for the FET Phase, Department of Basic Education.

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