How Do Repulsive and Attractive Forces Influence Chemical Bond Formation?

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The discussion centers on the forces influencing chemical bond formation between atoms, emphasizing the distinction between ionic and covalent bonding. Ionic bonding is characterized primarily by electrostatic interactions, while covalent bonding is described as a quantum mechanical phenomenon, highlighting its complexity beyond simple models. The conversation also touches on the behavior of metals, referencing the concept of the Fermi surface from quantum physics as a useful framework. The importance of qualitative descriptions in teaching chemistry is acknowledged, though it is noted that these simplifications serve only as general guides rather than precise explanations of bonding mechanisms.
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What are some repulsive and attractive forces that would infludence the formation of chemical bonds between two atoms?
 
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Ionic bonding is pretty much all electrostatics.

Covalent bonding is, well, let me quote this:

However, the covalent bond is a purely quantum mechanical phenomenon.
- Michael Fayer, Elements of Quantum Mechanics.

Metals...see above, there's this quote somewhere in one of my books about how metals are well described by the idea of a Fermi surface from quantum physics.

Mind you, you can make up convenient fictions to qualitatively describe chemical bonding (I used to do it all the time when TAing intro university chemistry), but it's only good for a very general, qualitative description.
 

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