Period 3 Chlorides & Oxides (Cambridge International AS Chemistry)
Exam board Cambridge International · ASUpdated 2026-07-02
Bonding in Period 3 Chlorides & Oxides
Period 3 chlorides
Chemical bonding & structure of Period 3 chlorides table
| Period 3 chloride | NaCl | MgCl2 | Al2Cl6 | SiCl4 | PCl5 | SCl2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical bonding | Ionic | Ionic | Covalent | Covalent | Covalent | Covalent |
| Structure | Giant ionic | Giant ionic | Simple molecular | Simple molecular | Simple molecular | Simple molecular |
Period 3 oxides
Chemical bonding & structure of Period 3 oxides table
| Period 3 oxide | Na2O | MgO | Al2O3 | SiO2 | P4O10 | SO2SO3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical bonding | Ionic | Ionic | Ionic (with some covalent character) | Covalent | Covalent | Covalent |
| Structure | Giant ionic | Giant ionic | Giant ionic | Giant covalent | Simple molecular | Simple molecular |
- Going across Period 3, their chlorides and oxides become more covalent and their structure shifts from a giant ionic to a simple molecular structure
- Their reactions with water become more vigorous as a result of this, as it becomes easier to hydrolyse the chlorides and oxides
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