Matter describes the physical state of any object on Earth. Matter is either a solid, liquid, or gas. The atom is one of the smallest and most basic components of matter. An atom is composed of electrons that orbit around a central positively charged core known as the nucleus. Molecules are a group of at least two atoms that have been arranged in a stable configuration.
The nucleus of an atom is made up of neutrons, which are chemically neutral and do not possess a positive or negative charge, and protons, which are positively charged. The electrons moving around the nucleus are small, negatively charged particles. The electrons surround the nucleus in electron clouds, also known as orbitals. Each orbital possesses a certain number of electrons. The protons and neutrons of the nucleus are more dense and take up less space than the orbiting electrons. The number of protons and electrons in an atom determines what chemical element the atom is.
An element is a pure substance composed of a single type of atom. The periodic table summarizes the general chemical properties of all of the elements that have been discovered on Earth. The number of protons in an atom, also known as the atomic number, matches the number of electrons. The configuration of the electrons surrounding the nucleus determines how stable the atom is and its likelihood of chemically bonding with another atom or molecule.
All atoms are seeking a stable electron configuration so that they are un-reactive in nature. If the outermost orbital of electrons has electron vacancies, then the atom will be attracted to the electrons or charges present in different atoms. There are very few atoms (elements) in nature that are stable and not chemically reactive. Most atoms seek the electrons required to fill the empty orbitals and will therefore bond with other atoms to form chemical bonds. There are several types of chemical bonds that can be formed based on these properties.
There are many types of chemical bonds, with the three most common being covalent, polar, and ionic bonding. Covalent bonding is characterized by the sharing of electrons between atoms. Ionic bonding is based on interactions between nonmetal and metal atoms with opposing charges that create an attraction to one another. Polar bonds are a type of covalent form that result from the unequal distribution of electrons between two atoms. One atom possesses a greater affinity for the electrons than the other atom, so a polar bond results between the atoms, differing in charge strength. Ionic bonding is based on interactions between nonmetal and metal atoms with opposing charges that create an attraction for one another. Other types of chemical bonding include hydrogen bonding, London dispersion forces, and dipole-dipole bonds.