covalent bond

A covalent bond is a bond between two or

more atoms where the electrons in the outer
shell are shared in order to complete the
outer shells of all of the atoms.

Covalency
The covalency of an atom is generally the number
of electrons it shares when bonding with another
non metal atom.
Example Chlorine needs to share one electron to give it a stable outer shell.
Therefore its has a covalency of one.

Covalent Bonding Detail

Often form between two nonmetals
Formed by the sharing of electrons
Polar covalent bonds are formed when atoms do
not share electrons equally like in a water molecule
oxygen attracts the electrons more strongly than
hydrogen.
Nonpolar covalent bonds the atoms share the
electrons equally two identical atoms have
nonpolar covalent bonds (Cl2, Br2, H2, O2 , N2, I2)
Atoms can share more than one pair of electrons.
These multiple bonds usually occur between
carbon, oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen atoms.

Pure or Non-Polar Covalent Bond

A molecule may be nonpolar either because there is
(almost) no polarity in the bonds (when there is an
equal sharing of electrons between two different
atoms) or because of the symmetrical arrangement
of polar bonds.
Examples of household nonpolar compounds
include fats, oil, and petrol/gasoline. Therefore (per
the "oil and water"), most nonpolar molecules are
water-insoluble ( hydrophobic) at room temperature.

Polar Covalent Bond

The bond that forms when electrons are shared
unequally is called a polar covalent bond.

The negative
pole is centered
on the more
electronegative
atom in the bond.
This atom has a
share in an extra
electron.

Molecular Compounds
Compounds bonded covalently called molecular
compounds
Molecular compounds have lower melting and boiling points
Weaker bond than ionic, gases or liquids at room
temperature, a molecular formula: Shows how many atoms
of each element a molecule contains

Water
H

Each hydrogen has 1 valence electron

- Each hydrogen wants 1 more
The oxygen has 6 valence electrons
- The oxygen wants 2 more
They share to make each other
complete

Water
Put the pieces together
The first hydrogen is happy
The oxygen still needs one more

HO

So, a second hydrogen attaches

Every atom has full energy levels

O
H

Note the two

unshared pairs of
electrons

Double and Triple Covalent Bonds

Sometimes atoms share more than one pair of valence e-s

double bond: atoms share 2 pairs of e-s (4 total)
triple bond: atoms share 3 pairs of e-s (6 total)
Know these 7 elements as diatomic: Br2 I2 N2 Cl2 H2 O2
F2

DOUBLE bond
atoms that share two e- pairs (4 e-)
TRIPLE bond
atoms that share three e- pairs (6 e-)

A Coordinate Covalent Bond

In a coordinate covalent bond, one atom contributes a pair of
electrons
When one atom donates both electrons in a covalent bond.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a good example:

Both the carbon and

oxygen give another
single electron to share

CO

Coordinate Covalent Bond

l When

one atom donates both

electrons in a covalent bond.
l Carbon monoxide (CO) is a good
Oxygen gives
example:
both of these
This carbon
electron moves to
make a pair with
the other single.

C O

electrons, since
it has no more
singles to share.

Coordinate Covalent Bond

l When

one atom donates both

electrons in a covalent bond.
l Carbon monoxide (CO)
The
coordinate
covalent bond
is shown with
an arrow as:

C O

Shapes of molecules
The shape of a molecule describes the
way in which the atoms are arranged
Molecules can be linear, angular v-shaped
or bent, triangular pyramid and tetrahedral.
There are more shapes but you only need
to the know the above

Shape of Name of
Molecule Shape

No. of
Lone
pairs

Bond
angle

Examples

Linear

180

CO2, HCN

Bent/
Angular
Triangular
pyramid

<109.5

H2O, SCl2

<109.5

NH3, PCl3

109.5

CH4, SiF4

Tetrahedral 0