Chemistry Regents Practice Test 2025 – Complete Prep Resource

Question: 1 / 400

Which type of bond is formed when silicon reacts with fluorine?

Ionic bond

When silicon reacts with fluorine, the type of bond formed is actually an ionic bond. Silicon has four valence electrons and tends to form covalent bonds, but in this reaction, silicon can lose electrons to fluorine, which has seven valence electrons and desires to gain one electron to achieve a stable octet. This electron transfer leads to the formation of positively charged silicon ions and negatively charged fluoride ions, creating an ionic bond between them.

While silicon can form covalent bonds with nonmetals, the nature of silicon and fluorine's reactivity favors the creation of ionic bonds due to the significant difference in electronegativity between the two elements. The highly electronegative fluorine effectively strips electrons from silicon, resulting in a strong electrostatic attraction typical of ionic compounds.

Get further explanation with Examzify DeepDiveBeta

Covalent bond

Metallic bond

Hydrogen bond

Next Question

Report this question

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy