Chemistry Regents Practice Test

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

1. Ionic bond

2. Covalent bond

3. Metallic bond

4. Hydrogen bond

The correct answer is: 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.