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