What type of bond involves sharing of electrons between atoms?

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Multiple Choice

What type of bond involves sharing of electrons between atoms?

Sharing of electrons between atoms is the hallmark of a covalent bond. This occurs when two nonmetals with similar electronegativities each contribute electrons to a shared pair, allowing both atoms to fill their outer shells. The result is a molecule held together by those shared electrons, whether in a single, double, or triple bond. Examples like H2 and H2O illustrate how this sharing creates stable structures. In contrast, ionic bonds form from transferring electrons to create oppositely charged ions that attract, metallic bonds arise from a lattice of ions with a surrounding sea of delocalized electrons, and hydrogen bonds are strong dipole-dipole attractions between a hydrogen bonded to a highly electronegative atom and another electronegative atom—these are not due to sharing electrons.

Sharing of electrons between atoms is the hallmark of a covalent bond. This occurs when two nonmetals with similar electronegativities each contribute electrons to a shared pair, allowing both atoms to fill their outer shells. The result is a molecule held together by those shared electrons, whether in a single, double, or triple bond. Examples like H2 and H2O illustrate how this sharing creates stable structures.

In contrast, ionic bonds form from transferring electrons to create oppositely charged ions that attract, metallic bonds arise from a lattice of ions with a surrounding sea of delocalized electrons, and hydrogen bonds are strong dipole-dipole attractions between a hydrogen bonded to a highly electronegative atom and another electronegative atom—these are not due to sharing electrons.

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