Electronic energy levels and chemical bonding

This chapter examines a number of important features of the electronic structure of the solid, which include energies and widths of the various bands, the energy gaps between them, and the number of electrons that occupy them. It details how the electronic energy levels of simple solids are related to chemical models of bonding. It also highlights the ionic model, wherein bonding is accompanied by an electron transfer between one atom to another. The chapter highlights the use of the ionic model in predicting the heats of formation and the chemical and physical properties of compounds, such as halides and oxides. It considers the solids formed by non-metallic elements and looks at compounds where covalent bonding is combined with some degree of ionic character.