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I'm sure glad you asked! A covalent compound is a compound in which the atoms that are bonded share electrons rather than transfer electrons from one to the other. While ionic compounds are usually formed when metals bond to nonmetals, covalent compounds are formed when two nonmetals bond to each other.

The big question that students frequently have is, "Why do elements share electrons? After all, wouldn't electrons rather grab electrons outright? That's what happens when ionic compounds are formed."

The reason that nonmetals have to share electrons with each other has to do with electronegativity. Recall that electronegativity is a measure of how much an element pulls electrons away from other elements it is bonded to. Metals generally have very low electronegativities (they don't much want to grab electrons) while nonmetals have high electronegativities (they really want to grab electrons). The reason for this trend is the octet rule, which says that all elements want to have the same number of electrons as the nearest noble gas, because noble gases are unusually stable. When metals bond to nonmetals, ionic compounds are formed because the metal atoms don't want electrons and easily give them to nonmetals that do want electrons.

It's a different story when two nonmetals bond with each other. Instead of having one element give electrons to another, we run into a case where we have two elements that have roughly the sameelectronegativity. As a result, neither element can steal electrons from the other. As a result, if either of them are going to be like the nearest noble gas, they'll have to share electrons rather than transfer them.

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Related Questions

Are substances with ionic or covalent bonds more likely to dissociate in water?

Substances with ionic bonds are more likely to dissociate in water compared to those with covalent bonds. Ionic bonds are weaker when dissolved in water, leading to the dissociation of ions, while covalent bonds tend to remain intact.


Do covalent bonds dissociate in solution?

Yes, covalent bonds do not dissociate in solution because they involve the sharing of electrons between atoms, which is a strong and stable interaction. In contrast, ionic bonds can dissociate in solution into their respective ions.


Is water molecular or ionic?

The bonds in water are covalent.


Some covalent compound dissociate dissociate into ions when they dissolve in water and what atom do these compounds have in their structure?

oxygen


What type of bonds does the water have?

covalent bonds


What type of bonds form within a water molecule?

Within a water molecule is covalent bonds. between water molecules are hydrogen bonds.


Is covalent bonding soluble in water?

Covalent bonds themselves are not soluble in water because they are intramolecular bonds within compounds. However, some covalent compounds can be soluble in water depending on their polarity and ability to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules.


Does covalent or ionic substances dissolve in water faster?

Ionic substances typically dissolve faster in water compared to covalent substances. This is because ionic compounds dissociate into ions in water, which allows for easier interaction with water molecules and faster dissolution, while covalent compounds often require breaking strong covalent bonds between atoms to dissolve.


What types of bonds hold together a water molecule?

Water has covalent bonds.The bonds between atoms in a water molecule are covalent bond, somewhat polar ones.


How is the strength of a covalent bond related to its bond dissociation?

The strength of a covalent bond is related to its bond dissociation energy, which is the energy required to break the bond. Strong covalent bonds have high bond dissociation energies, meaning they require more energy to break. Conversely, weak covalent bonds have low bond dissociation energies, making them easier to break.


What is an example a covalent bond?

Water molecules have covalent bonds.


What is an example for a covalent bond?

Water molecules have covalent bonds.