Covalent Bonding

Ideas you need to know: 1. Atoms can share their electrons to attain an electronic structure like noble gas (duplet [2 electrons] if there is only one electron shell, octet [8 electrons] for the rest). A covalent bond is the attraction of the nuclei of two non-metallic atoms and their shared electrons. These shared electrons are always in pairs. Covalent bonds are very strong bonds. A particle that is formed by two or more atoms covalently bonded together is known as a molecule. After sharing their electrons, the individual atoms attain noble gas electronic structures, in general. Formation of covalent compounds: Dot and cross diagrams
H H H O O H O

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Hydrogen molecule (Element) 5.

Water molecule (Compound)

Oxygen molecule (Element)

Physical properties of covalent substances (a) Covalent molecules (simple molecular substances) usually have low melting points and boiling points because the Van der Waals (intermolecular) forces between these molecules are very weak. (b) Covalent molecules usually do not conduct electricity at any state because the covalent structure does not contain mobile electrons or ions, except for HCl in water, which consists of hydrogen ions and chloride ions that conduct electricity. Covalent molecules are usually not soluble in water but soluble in organic solvent, such as ethanol, petrol.

(c)