Covalent Bonding
- Ionic bonding is the transfer of electrons between a metal
that wants to give up an electron(s) and a non-metal that
wants to gain an electron(s)
- Covalent bonding is the sharing of electrons.
- This usually occurs between non-metal elements.
- Like Ionic bonding, the octet rule can be used to explain
covalent bonding because the elements are still trying to
achieve 8 valence electrons
- One of the best ways to model covalent bonding is by
using lewis structures.
- To draw the lewis structure for a colvalent compound.
Start by writing the symbol of the element and then
surround the “four” sides of the symbol with 1 dot for
each valence electron.
- Examples of the Halogens:
- The single dot’s can form bonds by “sharing” the
electrons between two elements.
- Examples of the Halogens fulfilling the octet rule
through covalent bonding:
- The covalent compounds the result from the sharing
of electrons have very different physical properties
than ionic compounds
- Covalent compounds…
o Have very LOW melting points. Often times they
are gases and liquids at room temperature
o Vary greatly in the solubility
o Only rarely form a crystal lattice