Covalent Bonding

• Covalent bonding occurs when atoms share electrons to achieve a stable outer electron shell.

  
  

  This type of bonding typically happens between non-metals

  
  

  The shared pair of electrons is also called as a bonding pair

  
  

  Each atom contributing one electron to the shared pair establishes the covalent bond
• TYPES OF COVALENT BONDS:

  • A single covalent bond is formed when one pair of electrons is shared (e.g. in a hydrogen molecule, H2)
  • Double and triple bonds are formed when two or three pairs of electrons are shared, respectively (e.g. in oxygen O2, and nitrogen N2 molecules)
• PROPERTIES OF COVALENTLY BONDED SUBSTANCES

  • Covalent compounds generally have lower melting and boiling points than ionic compounds due to weaker intermolecular forces.

  
  

  • They are typically poor conductors of electricity because they don't contain mobile electrons or ions

  
  

  • Substances with covalent bonds can exist in all 3 states of matter at room temperature : gases, liquids or solids
• FORMATION OF MOLECULES:

  Atoms bond covalently to form molecules, which are the smallest particles of a covalent compound that still retain the properties of that compound
• Examples of covalent bonding:

  
  

  An example of a covalent bond can be seen in a water molecule ,H20 where each hydrogen atom shares an electron with the oxygen atom.

  
  

  This forms a covalent bond, with the oxygen atom sharing one electron with each hydrogen atom