Includes bibliographical references and index.

Resonance and the chemical bond -- The electronic structure of atoms and the formal rules for the formation of covalent bonds -- The partial ionic character of covalent bonds and the relative electronegativity of atoms -- The directed covalent bond; bond strengths and bond angles -- Complex bond orbitals; the magnetic criterion for bond types -- The resonance of molecules among several valence-bond structures -- Interatomic distances and their relation to the structure of molecules and crystals -- Types of resonance in molecules -- The structure of molecules and complex ions involving bonds with partial double-bond character -- The one-electron bond and the three-electron bond; electron-deficient substances -- The metallic bond -- The hydrogen bond -- The sizes of ions and the structure of ionic crystals -- A summarizing discussion of resonance and its significance for chemistry. Thorough discussion of the various types of bonds, their relative natures, and the structure of molecules and crystals.