Covalent Bonding

Covalent Bonds-sharing electrons

• When non-metal atoms bond together, they share pairs of electrons to make covalent bonds

• The positively charged nuclei of the bonded atoms are attracted to the shared pair of electrons by electrostatic forces, making covalent bonds very strong

• Atoms only share electrons in their outer shells

  • Highest energy levels

• Each single covalent bond provides one extra shared electron for each atom

• Each atom involved generally makes enough covalent bonds to fill up its outer shell

  • Having a full outer shell gives them the electronic structure of a noble gas, which is very stable

• Covalent bonding happens in compounds of non-metals and in non-metal elements

There are different ways of drawing covalent bonds

• You can use dot and cross diagrams

• You can use 3D models

  • By using the molecular formula