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

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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

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