Master the chemistry of how matter holds together — and score the marks to prove it
Master IB Chemistry's Structure & Bonding units (S2.1–S2.2) with crystal-clear explanations of ionic and covalent models, VSEPR, intermolecular forces, and chromatography — everything you need to ace Paper 1 and Paper 2.
"I teach every concept the way the mark scheme thinks about it — because understanding the chemistry and earning the marks should be exactly the same thing."— Geoffrey Mitchell
What you'll learn
What you'll be able to do
- Draw accurate Lewis structures and apply the octet rule to predict bonding in ionic and covalent compounds
- Use VSEPR theory to determine the 3-D geometry and bond angles of molecules with up to four electron domains
- Explain how electronegativity differences create bond polarity and predict whether a molecule has a net dipole moment
- Distinguish between London dispersion forces, dipole–dipole interactions, and hydrogen bonding, and link each to measurable physical properties
- Describe the structure of ionic lattices and giant covalent networks (diamond, graphite, silicon, SiO₂) and justify their characteristic physical properties
- Calculate Rf values from chromatograms and interpret chromatography data in the context of intermolecular forces and polarity
How it works
A school that adapts to you
This isn't a set of static videos. Every lesson is generated live and tuned to where you actually are.
We learn your level
A quick placement check tailors your starting point so you're never bored or lost.
Lessons adapt as you go
Each lesson is written for your pace and your goal, adjusting as your skills grow.
Your AI coach keeps you moving
Checkpoints, feedback, and gentle nudges turn progress into a real result.
The curriculum
What's inside your school
6 modules · 15 lessons
The Ionic Model
Students establish the ionic model as the first major bonding type, building from atomic structure to ion formation, lattice architecture, and the physical consequences of electrostatic attraction. This module provides the conceptual baseline (charge, lattice energy, electrostatic force) that underpins comparisons made in every later module.
- 1.1Ion Formation: Cations and AnionsIncluded
- 1.2Ionic Bonds, Formulas, and NomenclatureIncluded
- 1.3Ionic Lattice Structure and Physical PropertiesIncluded
Foundations of Covalent Bonding
Students build the covalent model from first principles—shared electron pairs, the octet rule, and Lewis structures—then extend to bond order and the special case of coordinate bonding. This module establishes the structural language (Lewis structures, bond order) used in every subsequent covalent module, so it is placed immediately after the ionic model to allow direct comparison of the two bonding types.
- 2.1The Covalent Bond, Octet Rule, and Lewis StructuresIncluded
- 2.2Bond Order: Single, Double, and Triple Bonds — Length and StrengthIncluded
- 2.3Coordinate (Dative) Covalent BondsIncluded
Molecular Geometry and Polarity
Students apply VSEPR theory to predict three-dimensional shapes and bond angles for molecules with up to four electron domains, then layer in electronegativity to determine bond polarity and use vector addition of bond dipoles to assess net molecular polarity. This module sits after covalent bonding foundations because VSEPR requires knowledge of Lewis structures and lone-pair count. It must precede intermolecular forces, which depend on molecular polarity.
- 3.1VSEPR Theory and Molecular ShapesIncluded
- 3.2Bond Polarity and ElectronegativityIncluded
- 3.3Molecular Polarity and Net Dipole MomentsIncluded
Giant Covalent Network Structures
Students examine the four principal giant covalent network solids on the IB syllabus — diamond, graphite, silicon, and silicon dioxide — describing bonding, structure, and the physical properties that arise from each network. Placing this module after covalent bonding foundations but before intermolecular forces allows direct comparison with simple molecular solids in the next module, deepening students' understanding of structure–property relationships across a spectrum of covalent substances.
- 4.1Diamond and Graphite: Structure and PropertiesIncluded
- 4.2Silicon and Silicon Dioxide NetworksIncluded
Intermolecular Forces and Physical Properties of Covalent Substances
Students distinguish the three classes of intermolecular force — London dispersion forces, dipole–dipole interactions, and hydrogen bonding — in terms of origin, relative strength, and the molecular features required for each. They then connect IMF type and strength to measurable physical properties (melting point, boiling point, viscosity, surface tension, solubility, and electrical conductivity) of simple molecular covalent substances. This module is placed after molecular polarity (Module 3) and giant networks (Module 4) so that students can make meaningful comparisons across all covalent substance types.
- 5.1London Dispersion Forces, Dipole–Dipole Interactions, and Hydrogen BondingIncluded
- 5.2Physical Properties of Molecular Covalent SubstancesIncluded
Chromatography and Rf Values
Students learn the operational principles of chromatography (stationary and mobile phases, differential migration driven by IMFs and polarity), calculate Rf values from chromatogram data, and interpret separation patterns in terms of the molecular-polarity and intermolecular-force concepts developed throughout the unit. Placing this module last is essential: students must understand polarity (Module 3) and IMFs (Module 5) before they can meaningfully explain why substances separate differently in chromatography.
- 6.1Principles of Chromatography and Rf CalculationsIncluded
- 6.2Interpreting Chromatography Data Using Intermolecular Forces and PolarityIncluded
Who it's for
Is this you?
IB SL Chemistry student
Needs a clear, exam-aligned walkthrough of bonding fundamentals — Lewis structures to intermolecular forces — without getting lost in unnecessary depth.
IB HL Chemistry student
Ready to go deeper into coordinate bonds, complex geometries, and giant network solids, and wants mark-scheme-precise language baked in from the start.
IB exam revisor
Cramming for Paper 1 and Paper 2 and needs a structured, fast refresh of every bonding concept the IB actually tests — including chromatography and Rf values.
IB Chemistry teacher
Looking for a rigorously sequenced, syllabus-aligned resource to assign for pre-teaching, consolidation, or revision alongside their own classroom delivery.
Self-study candidate
Preparing for IB exams independently and needs a school that delivers classroom-quality clarity and exam-awareness without requiring a teacher to fill the gaps.
Struggling chemistry student
Finds abstract models like VSEPR and dipole moments confusing, and needs concepts unpacked with concrete analogies before the formal IB language kicks in.
Questions
Frequently asked
Your teacher
A note from your teacher
Geoffrey Mitchell
If you've ever stared at a mark scheme and thought, "I knew that — why didn't I write it that way?" — you're in exactly the right place. Structure and bonding is one of those topics that feels deceptively familiar on the surface. Electrons, shapes, forces. You've heard the words. But when the exam asks you to deduce the molecular geometry and explain the bond angle, or to explain, in terms of intermolecular forces, why compound A has a higher boiling point than compound B, the gap between vague understanding and a mark-scheme answer suddenly feels very wide.
That gap is what this school is designed to close. I built it around the conviction that IB Chemistry is not about memorising facts — it's about understanding models well enough to apply them to questions you've never seen before. So we don't just learn that water is a bent molecule; we work through why — electron domains, lone pair repulsion, the logic of VSEPR — until you could derive the shape yourself from scratch. We don't just list the three types of intermolecular forces; we connect each one to measurable physical properties and to the polarity work we did three units earlier, so that when chromatography shows up, it makes sense rather than arriving out of nowhere.
I know that for many students, this topic arrives at a point in the course when everything feels like it's accelerating. New terminology, abstract 3-D geometry, structures you can't see. My approach is to be relentlessly precise — using the correct IUPAC language and IB command terms from day one — while also being honest about where students typically get tripped up. I'll flag the common misconceptions, the mark-scheme traps, and the moments where SL and HL diverge, so you're never caught off guard.
If you're a student, I want you to finish this school able to walk into Paper 1 and Paper 2 and recognise bonding questions as opportunities, not threats. If you're a teacher, I hope this gives you a sharply sequenced, exam-aware resource you can trust. And if you're studying independently — working through the IB on your own terms — I want you to feel the same clarity and confidence as someone sitting in the best-resourced classroom in the world. That's the promise. Let's get into it.
— Geoffrey Mitchell
Start your journey today
Join get instant access — learn at your own pace with an AI coach in your corner.
- 6 modules, 15 lessons
- AI-adaptive lessons tuned to your level
- Quizzes & checkpoints to lock in progress
- Your own AI learning coach
- Learn on any device, at your pace
- Full access for as long as you're subscribed