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\prob{24}
Solid argon is held together by which of the following bonding mechanisms?

  1. Ionic bond only
  2. Covalent bond only
  3. Partly covalent and partly ionic bond
  4. Metallic bond
  5. van der Waals bond

Atomic}Bonding

Solid Argon is a Nobel gas. It has a full shell of outer electrons, and thus it cannot bond in anything but van der Walls bonding, which isn't really bonding, but more weak like charge-attraction.

One can arrive at this choice by elimination:
(A) Ionic bonding occurs when one atom is a positive ion and the other the compensating negative ion. Since solid Argon isn't an ion, it can't do this.

(B) Covalent bonding occurs when electrons are shared between atoms. This only happens when the atom has unfilled orbitals. (Incidentally, it only occurs when two electrons are of opposite spins due to the Pauli Exclusion Principle. That is, they must have different quantum numbers so that they can both remain stable in a low energy state.)

(C) No partial charge-analysis needed.

(D) Argon isn't a metal.

(E) This is the one that remains.

See below for user comments and alternate solutions! See below for user comments and alternate solutions!
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Comments
Richard
2007-10-15 18:04:36
Just an interesting note:
Have you heard of the flower Edelweiss?
It's a German flower: small and white, clean and bright...

The German word “edel” refers to nobility or purity. Thus, the German word "edelgas" was used to describe the group of gases that are very stable, i.e., pure I guess, from which we derive our term Noble Gas. It’s not after Alfred or anyone else for that matter. Studying a little German will never hurt a physicist.


Thanks again Yosun!
I take the GRE in a few weeks!
prismofmoonlight
2007-10-31 12:31:32
Thanks for the interesting note, Richard! It's like a fresh breeze to read something other than physics (and yet, still physics related) throughout the drudgery of studying.

I'm taking the exam this Saturday as well-- Best of luck!!
NEC
nitin
2006-11-21 04:12:00
trombone,

I sincerely don't understand where in my comment I showed any sign of disrespect. I quoted what yosun wrote, pointed out his surprising mistake (not typo), and also mentioned the typo (noble). If you take straightforwardness to be a sign of disrespect, then it is your problem, of which I am not reponsible.

On the other hand, you have been quite insulting to take my comment as an expression from someone of the, as defined by you, "complete ass" category. I hope your kind of remark is not "equally acceptable".
hamood
2007-04-02 12:18:14
I thought Yosun was a girl....
a19grey2
2008-10-31 17:01:17
Regardless of gender, I think we can all agree that Yosun is a hardcore badass.
NEC
nitin
2006-11-19 20:40:03
Hmm.. "Solid Argon is a Nobel gas". Surely no! A solid cannot be a gas. Also, you wrongly spelt "noble".
trombone
2006-11-20 17:38:33
You could have respectfully pointed out the "typos" but I guess being a complete ass is equally acceptable.
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