Grade 10 Physical Sciences · Matter and Materials
Identify and compare chemical bonds
Name a bond as covalent, ionic or metallic and describe how it forms (electrons are shared in a covalent bond, as in H₂).
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Question 1.2 · November 2025 · Paper 2 · Provincial · 2 marks
Which ONE of the following combinations regarding the bond length and bond energy is CORRECT?(2)

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More past paper questions: identify and compare chemical bonds
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3. Question 2.8.2 · November 2024 · Paper 2 · Provincial · 2 marks
Consider the following compounds.
2.8 The following table shows the average bond energies of atoms that are bonded to the hydrogen atom.
2.8.2 Explain the trend observed in the bond energy in the table above.(2)Show the memo (2 ticks)Memo
- ✓Bond length decreasesThe atomic size decreases in a period (from C to F).
The bond length decreases from the C to the F atom.1 mark · Identify and compare chemical bonds
- ✓Shorter bond, more energyThe shorter the bond length the more energy is needed to break them.
1 mark · Identify and compare chemical bonds
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4. Question 1.1 · November 2024 · Paper 2 · Provincial · 2 marks
1.1 Which ONE of the following bonds will have the highest bond energy?(2)Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
- ✓More bonds between the same atoms give the strongest bondBond energy increases as the number of bonds between two atoms increases (and the bond gets shorter). C C is a triple bond: three shared electron pairs hold the two carbon atoms closer and more strongly than the double bond C = C or the single bonds H – H and C – H.
Answer: D2 marks · Identify and compare chemical bonds
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5. Question 6.3.2 · November 2023 · Paper 2 · Provincial · 2 marks
In the reaction below, g of were reacted with hydrochloric acid solution and an effervescence is observed.6.3 From the chemical equation write down the FORMULAE of TWO compounds that are:6.3.2 Ionic bonded(2)Show the memo (2 ticks)Memo
- ✓First ionic compound
1 mark · Identify and compare chemical bonds
- ✓Second ionic compound
1 mark · Identify and compare chemical bonds
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6. Question 1.1 · November 2023 · Paper 2 · Provincial · 2 marks
Four options are provided as possible answers to the following questions. Each question has only ONE correct answer. Choose the answer and write only the letter (A–D) next to the question numbers (1.1 to 1.9) in the ANSWER BOOK, e.g. 1.10 D.1.1 Which of the following solids consist of a lattice of positive ions in a "sea" of delocalised electrons?(2)Show the memo (1 tick)Memo
- ✓Correct optionPositive ions in a sea of delocalised electrons is the description of METALLIC bonding. Potassium is the only metal. Ice and iodine are molecular solids (molecules held by intermolecular forces), and diamond is a covalent network solid.
Answer: D2 marks · Identify and compare chemical bonds
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